WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022: 12:30-2:00 PM

STIGMA’S IMPACT ON PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION

Presenters

Patricia Lincourt, Associate Commissioner for Addiction Treatment Recovery Services – Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)

Hon. Keri Savona, Ulster County Family Treatment Court

This presentation will provide an overview of stigma towards people with addiction. The presentation is interactive and will invite audience members to evaluate their own reactions to scenarios depicting people with addiction within a family court setting. Professional and paraprofessional staff within court and treatment settings often know much more than the average person about the nature of addiction, including the genetic, biological, social and psychological contributors that combine to make individuals more or less vulnerable to addiction. They are also aware of the science supporting our understanding of addiction as a chronic disease. However, all of us are also exposed to myths about addiction, presumptions and judgments about people who become dependent on substances. This presentation will challenge some of these assumptions about people with addiction and aims to reduce reactions based on biases and stigma. We will also consider the impact of social judgments and stigma on individuals who are working towards recovery.