2019 APA Convention, Chicago, IL.

The 2019 APA Convention, Chicago, IL.

Outside the Box: Harm reduction and other innovative approaches to studying and treating substance use behaviors

We are incredibly excited to invite you to the 2019 APA Convention in Chicago, IL. August 8-11. This year’s program includes a variety of divisional and collaborative symposia and poster sessions related to SoAP’s 2019 theme: Outside the Box: Harm reduction and other innovative approaches to studying and treating substance use behaviors. We have worked hard to select topics that relate to this year’s theme.

Here is a sneak preview to a few symposia that we are excited to feature:

• Safer Drug Consumption Spaces: Policy, Practice, Research and Advocacy
• Harm Reduction Psychotherapy: Uniting Social Justice Perspectives with Innovative Clinical Methods
• Adapting Alcohol Interventions to Specific Populations: Factors to Consider and Lessons Learned
• (Re)Defining Recovery: Why is it Hard to Define, and What are the Contentious Issues in Defining it?
• Community Based Participatory Research on Harm Reduction Approaches with Marginalized Populations

We would also like to highlight two of our esteemed colleagues who will be presenting Thought Leader and Master plenary sessions. Dr. John Kelly will talk about how language reflects and affects our approaches to drug treatment, public health, and policy,” and Dr. Jalie Tucker will speak about contributions from behavioral economics to understanding and promoting addictive behavior change. Both these sessions will take place on Friday afternoon between 1-4pm.

In addition to our featured symposia and plenary sessions, we have several more exciting talks planned that address advances in substance use research, introduce new ways to break old habits, explore ambivalence around medication assisted treatment, and offer career development advice from the experts.

Exciting/Unique Opportunity

We are thrilled to announce that the Chicago Recovery Alliance, major players in the US harm reduction movement, has generously offered to host an informal offsite visit for anyone interested in learning more about their organization and the various harm reduction practices and services that they offer. Sign ups will be available during their APA panel session on Safer Drug Consumption Spaces (August 9^th, 9-11am; and will be limited to the first 25 people). The offsite is tentatively scheduled for Friday, August 9^th, 12-4pm. You will be responsible for your own transportation. More details will be available during the panel session.

Early Career Investigators Poster Session and Social Hour

SoAP is proud to present three poster sessions at the Convention, including the Early Career Investigators Poster Session and Social Hour featuring up-to-date research on a broad range of addictive behaviors. This event is cosponsored by SoAP, Division 28 (Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse), NIAAA, and NIDA, and is an excellent way to reconnect with old colleagues, meet new colleagues, and engage in stimulating conversations about addiction psychology. As if all that isn’t enough, there will also be delicious catered food on offer. Friday, August 9^th, 4-6pm.

Division 50 Presidential Address and SoAP Business Meeting.

Aside from our fabulous symposia and poster sessions, we would also like to draw your attention to our Division 50 Presidential Address (featuring, Dr. Jennifer Buckman) and SoAP Business Meeting. These events will take place between 2:00-4:00pm on Thursday, August 8^th, and are open to everyone. Dr. Buckman will speak directly to this year’s theme by discussing critical disconnects between research findings and clinical observations, the need to reexamine our definitions of addiction, and the theoretical implications of repeatedly taxing the body systems that lie at the cross-roads between mental and physical health. At the business meeting, we will discuss the past year’s activities of the Executive Board and all SoAP committees, as well as distribute awards to SoAP members who have made outstanding contributions to the field. Please come and learn about what we have been up to, and celebrate your colleagues!

As in previous years, we have developed our program in close collaboration with Division 28. They too have an outstanding lineup planned, as do many other divisions who will be sponsoring events that will be directly relevant to SoAP members. Be sure to check out Division 28’s events and all the Convention events that are co-listed by SoAP’s Division 50 in the APA Program.

We can’t wait to see you all in Chicago! Please note that Division 50 programming will begin at 8am on the first day of the conference (Thursday, August 8^th), so please plan to arrive by Wednesday night so you don’t miss out!

We also hope to see many of you at our Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, April 4-6^th : https://addictionpsychology.org/conventions/cpa/2019-collaborative-perspectives-addiction-meeting

Seema Clifasefi & Susan Collins

2019 SoAP Program Chairs