The Certified Methadone Advocate (CMA) Training Course
Saturday, October 20, 2007
TIME: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tribute to Drs. Dole and Nyswander

Roxanne Baker, CMA
NAMA NORCAL
Santa Cruz, CA

Rebecca Brooks, CMA
NAMA
Las Vegas, NV

Herman Joseph, Ph.D.
NAMA
New York, NY

Stewart Leavitt, Ph.D.
Addiction Treatment Forum
Mundelein, IL

Rebecca Lira
CA ADP/SMA
Sacramento, CA

J. Thomas Payte , MD
Colonial Management Group
Orlando, FL

Jocelyn Woods, MA
NAMA/M.A.R.S. Project
New York, NY

The leading advocate organization for methadone, the National Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NAMA), has developed this training, believing that professionals, patients and families of patients can come together to work for a better understanding of methadone treatment. Previous trainings have shown that participants – both professionals and patients are equally empowered. Therefore, we encourage both patients and non-patients to become Certified Methadone Advocates (CMA). This training encourages all supporters of methadone treatment to collectively use their energies in advocating for methadone treatment and to reduce prejudice.

This course fulfills the training requirement for Certification as a Methadone Advocate. It is designed for non-clinicians and involves 8 hours of rigorous training. The course equips participants with the initial tools to grow and develop into successful advocates.

This year included in the course will be a Tribute to Drs. Dole and Nyswander that will include presentation and discussion about their contributions to addiction medicine and medication assisted treatment.

With these goals in mind the course presentation is constituted as follows:

• Addiction and Methadone – Current science about addiction in a language understandable to the non-clinician.
• Regulations and Accreditation – Current regulations explained by experts from CSAT who understand systemic complexities in methadone treatment systems.
• Methadone Mythology – Exposing of the myths surrounding methadone treatment.
• The Certified Methadone Advocate (CMA) – The mechanism of certification and how it will professionalize those committed to advocacy. Included advocacy via Internet and Methadone Anonymous.
• Methadone Stigma – A history of the stigma directed towards opiate addicts and specifically methadone patients and approaches to reduce the harm caused by stigma.
• Advocating in the Community – Using education as a tool for advocacy in the community.
• The Dynamics of Language – How language conveys and maintains stigma.
• State Methadone Authority – Working with SMA’s as an advocate, using all voices to enhance ODT through affecting change in state codes, working with grievance procedures and legal issues involving ODT patients.

Candidates for certification must register with NAMA prior to the conference. Registration information available at: www.methadone.org/registration.doc. On-site registration will be between 8AM to 9AM at the NAMA table in lobby. NAMA cannot guarantee a place to anyone not pre-registered.

There is a separate registration fee of $100.00 (check or cash and PayPal/credit card on the internet) for this pre-conference event. The fee includes all materials, 2007/8 membership in NAMA, and the application for CMA. Lunch is not provided

Sponsored by the National Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NAMA).

Supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and Mallinckrodt.