Christopher Rossi is the Peer Recovery Specialist Supervisor at the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida. As a person with over six years of recovery from drugs and alcohol, his passion for offering the hope of recovery to families comes from a lifetime of lived experience. Christopher is currently in his final semester at Florida Gulf Coast University for a bachelor’s in social work, awaiting acceptance into FGCU’s advanced standing master’s degree program in social work. During his time at the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida, Christopher has gone from designing what Peer Recovery in the child welfare arena looks like, taking all referrals and meeting all parents, to supervising a team of eight Peer Specialists who offer hope to families in SWFL struggling with addiction.

In 2023, Christopher was a member of a committee which organized and operationalized a statewide conference for young sober people, hosting 1100 individuals over a three-day span of marathon recovery meetings, dances, speakers, and more. Earlier that week, Christopher was awarded “Innovator of the Year” at the Florida Coalition of Children’s annual conference for making the Children’s Network of SWFL the first child welfare case management organization that gives all parents in their care Narcan to reverse opiate overdoses, free of cost. One day, Christopher hopes to enact legislative change in the hiring of individuals with lived experience of addiction, making it easier to achieve gainful employment in their recovery.

Ashley Neal is the Director of External Affairs at Riverside Recovery of Tampa, a Florida native and a
person in long term recovery. With a bachelor’s degree in communications and two decades of
experience in the non-profit and private sector, she has a keen awareness of the community, a strong set
of personal & professional ethics and knows how to get things done. Ashley has lived and worked in the
Greater Tampa Bay Area her entire life and is a fierce advocate for addiction recovery, public policy and
meaningful community involvement.

In her current role, Ashley works to support the overall organizational growth of Riverside Recovery by
fostering positive relationships, both internally and externally and by developing and maintaining high-
level relationships within the public and private sector. In addition to this full-time role, Ashley
volunteers her time serving as a Chamber Ambassador with the Tampa Bay Chamber, she is the State
Lead for the Florida Alliance for State Advocacy (FASA), is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland and
is active in the local recovery community. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Directors for
both the Hillsborough Recovery Coalition (HRC) and the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance (HCADA).

Ashley lives in Lakeland, Florida with her husband Rob, daughter Caycie and 2 Boxers, Laurel & Nash. In
her spare time, Ashley co-hosts the Broken Minded Podcast w/ her long-time friend, Ally and is a child
advocate with Guardian Ad Litem. She also enjoys cooking, gardening and Crossfit.

Mental Health Providers’ Perspectives on Global Opiate Addiction

Workshop Facilitators:

Katherine Daly, PhD is Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences at UCF College of Medicine where she also serves as the Director of Counseling & Wellness Services. She is a licensed psychologist with over 15 years of experience. As a scientist-practitioner, Dr. Daly’s research focuses on lifestyle medicine for medical student wellbeing, and increasing accessibility, reducing stigma, and engaging the community in dialogue and awareness about mental health and wellness (topics such as sleep, suicide prevention, anxiety and burnout).

Heather Rashal, LMHC is a licensed mental health clinician who has been working in the mental health field for the last decade with special training in mindfulness-based stress reduction, interpersonal relationships and codependence, and addictive tendencies. Her position as the staff psychotherapist for the past three years at UCF College of Medicine has provided her with insight into the mental health needs and experiences specific to medical students.

This presentation will address the antecedents and predisposing psychological factors that contribute to addiction. We will also address stigma and how to look at patients/clients with addiction through a humanistic and holistic lens. Lastly, we will discuss assessment, treatment, and resources for people with addiction.

Section I: Addiction statistics/ gen pop/ college students/ income levels (15 min)

Section II: Experiential activities to challenge the stigma of addiction (25 min)

Section III: Assessment/ treatment (15 min)

Section IV: Q&A (5 min)

A case study of barriers and facilitators preventing key vulnerable populations (e.g. undocumented, racial/ethnic/gender/sexual minorities and other minoritized populations) accessing substance use disorder (SUD) services

Workshop Facilitator:

Dr. Elena Cyrus, PhD

Elena Cyrus, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine. Her Ph.D. in epidemiology was conferred from Florida International University (FIU), and she completed fellowships in reproductive health, global health, and substance use and HIV prevention at the University of Michigan, Yale University, and FIU. As a NIDA K99/R00 recipient, Dr. Cyrus’s research focuses on the development and implementation of interventions for the prevention of substance use and HIV among vulnerable populations. Dr. Cyrus also leads the UCF Global Health Program’s work at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), where she mentors U.S. and Peruvian trainees on infectious disease epidemiology and research methods.

Brief Overview: This case study will explore complications at-risk vulnerable populations globally encounter that can prevent timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent sustained hazardous alcohol use and illicit drug use. At the end of the exercise, learners will be more acquainted with the definition of a hard-to-reach population, and systemic, social and individual factors contributing to SUDs. Potential solutions and options to manage including appropriate referral systems that are culturally sensitive will be discussed.

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: A Policy Perspective

Workshop Facilitator: Dr. Barbara Andraka-Christou, PhD

Brief Overview: Workshop attendees will learn the following information: (1) medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) as a tool for improving life expectancy and quality of life among people with opioid addiction; (2) access problems to MOUD and the causes of these access problems; and (3) policy levers for improving access to MOUD.

Is Prevention an Ethical Obligation?

Workshop Facilitator: Dr. Ira Chasnoff, MD

Brief Overview: The perfect storm of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the current opioid epidemic and recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use is almost guaranteed to translate into increasing behavioral and learning difficulties for children in the classroom and in the home.  However, it is within our capabilities to prevent these problems and enhance children’s long-term developmental trajectory through community-based and holistic strategies.  This session will present four basic principles of ethical prevention and explore the role of health care leadership in supporting a comprehensive prevention and early intervention system of care that will promote child and family well-being.

Foundations of Harm Reduction

Workshop Facilitator:

Shana Harris, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Internal Medicine (Secondary Joint Appointment) at the University of Central Florida. Her research, which has been funded by organizations such the National Institutes of Health and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, focuses on drug use, “addiction,” and health politics and interventions, including harm reduction, medications for opioid use disorder, and drug policy reform, in Latin America and the United States. Her current work examines psychedelic-based drug treatment in Mexico, the concurrent use of opioids and stimulants in the United States, and the implementation of harm reduction programs in Florida.

Brief Overview: Harm reduction is a public health approach and social movement aimed at reducing the negative consequences associated with drug use without requiring abstinence.  This workshop provides an overview of harm reduction principles and interventions, particularly as they relate to key health and social issues facing people who use drugs. Participants in this workshop will acquire basic tools and information to support people who use drugs in non-judgmental and non-coercive ways.

Dance Movement Therapy in Addiction Treatment

Workshop Facilitator: Erin Formanski

Brief Overview: An engaging and interactive low-intensity dance workshop on how Dance Movement Therapy is used in addiction treatment.

Smoking Cessation Strategies

Workshop Facilitator:

Dr. David Koo, MD

Dr. Koo is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He is a family doctor currently working as a hospitalist at AdventHealth Waterman where he was awarded Medical Staff Physician of the Year in 2018 and 2021. Prior to this, he was Assistant Professor at Florida Hospital Family Medicine Residency where was awarded Didactic Teacher or the Year in 2011, 2012, and 2013. And before that he was in private practice in rural Ohio for 11 years where patients gave him lots of fresh eggs, vegetables, venison, and some occasional bear meat. For fun, he enjoys designing and 3D printing model rockets, playing Minecraft with his son, and trying out new restaurants with his wife.

Brief Overview: A workshop hosted by a local hospitalist on identifying evidence-based strategies that may be implemented to assist patients in successful smoking cessation.

The Role of Art Therapy in Alcohol and Substance Use Recovery

Workshop Facilitators:

Kelly L. Burns, MA, ATR-BC, LMHC-QS
Kelly is an artist, Board-Certified Art Therapist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor in the state of Florida. She received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and MA in Counseling Psychology and Art Therapy from Adler University, Chicago, IL. Kelly has established art therapy programs in a variety of settings, including nonprofit organizations, residential facilities for addiction and trauma, private practices, and inpatient and outpatient medical settings. She is a former president of the Florida Art Therapy Association, and now currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Art Therapy Association. For 2022, Kelly was also appointed as a commissioner on the Public Arts Commission for the City of Mount Dora, FL. Kelly is currently the art therapist on the Creative Arts Therapy team at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando. She started the art therapy program at Nemours in July 2022 and works with patients in the hematology, oncology, and inpatient rehabilitation units, as well as consults as for all other inpatient units. Kelly also supervises students and new professionals working towards their art therapy credential and LMHC in Florida. Prior to Nemours, Kelly was the art therapist at The Refuge, A Healing Place, in Ocklawaha, FL, a residential program treating adults with PTSD, eating disorders, addiction, and co-occurring disorders.

• Alicia Ballestas, MA, ATR-BC
  Is a bilingual Board-Certified Art Therapist, graduate of Long Island University, C.W Post.  She currently practices for Creative Art Therapies of the Palm Beaches, serving the communities of Broward and West Palm Beach County. Her sites include an oncology clinic, pediatric medical care center for children who have multiple medical and mental health diagnoses, recovery center (alcohol and substance), a day program for young adults with autism and home-based art therapy for children/adolescents that have a mental health diagnosis.   Alicia has experience providing services to immigrants, foster families and in the public schools.  After the Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 2018, she has been working with Parkland and Coral Springs providing art therapy services for the community. She is former president of the Florida Art Therapy association and currently an active member with governing affairs and organizing programs to increase art therapy’s presence in response to community trauma in her community. 

Brief Overview: During this presentation, background on art therapy, theoretical concepts, and how art therapy is specifically used with adults diagnosed with substance use disorder within group therapy will be covered. Participants will then be offered the opportunity to engage in an art therapy experiential facilitated by board certified art therapists. Art materials will be provided.