The College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Utah Valley University will host its ninth annual Conference on Addiction on Friday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Sorensen Student Center.
The single-day conference — designed with students, professionals, families, service providers, and community members in mind — will address the ever-increasing addiction problem in Utah. Presenters and students will host a wide range of sessions, services, and booths on a variety of addiction-related topics.
“Since the issue of addiction remains significant in our community, it remains significant to our students and to the university,” said Toni Harris, assistant dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Each year, we invite the best and the brightest minds working in addiction from across the country to join us, and bring their ideas and new discoveries to our community. Over 20 experts provide information and education to our participants that will aid them in the support of those impacted by addiction. We hope that by providing this opportunity we can positively impact the continuing battle that rages between addiction and healthy, productive, joy-filled lives.”
The conference will feature an opening keynote from Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Randall Carlisle. Carlisle recently retired from a 50-year career in broadcasting, where he covered many major stories from the Kent State shootings, to the Oklahoma City bombings, the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping, and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Carlisle began his career at the age of 14, when he won the Ohio State radio announcing contest and was given a job at a small radio station in northeastern Ohio. That was the same year he began drinking alcohol, and continued as a functional alcoholic for decades. He’s now six years sober, and a vocal part of the recovery community. In his keynote, he’ll share his personal experiences in fighting his addiction and his journey to sobriety.
The afternoon plenary address will be offered by Charles Curie, principal and founder of The Curie Group, LLC. The firm works with leaders in health care, particularly mental health and substance abuse, to facilitate transformation of services and attain positive outcomes for people worldwide. Curie’s professional experience spans 40 years. After a nomination from President George W. Bush and confirmation from the U.S. Senate, Curie was the head of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
In addition to the keynote and plenary speakers, the program will include several concurrent sessions intended to help participants seeking professional information on substance abuse disorders, educational perspectives regarding prevention and treatment, and information for families and loved ones experiencing the challenges of addiction. The sessions will cover a wide range of topics including opioid overdose prevention, trauma and addiction, mental health, medications, non-chemical addictive behavior, and more.
Outside of the sessions, informational booths — sponsored by various service and support vendors from throughout the state — will be available throughout the conference. New to the conference, the event will also feature graduate student poster presentations, alongside a mini job fair for students interested in addiction and mental health-related positions.
Tickets are $75 before the conference, and $85 the day of. UVU students may attend the conference for free. Paid registration includes lunch, parking, and all conference materials.
Event registration can be found at this link.
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About Utah Valley University
At nearly 40,000 students and growing, Utah Valley University is the largest public university in the state of Utah, and one of a few in the nation offering a model that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the openness and vocational programs of a community college. UVU’s unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs, and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds.
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