The November 3-5 meeting will provide behavioral health care professionals the latest, most effective addiction treatment strategies to improve patient care and outcomes; Levounis to share insights on the neurobiological attributes of addiction.

MALVERN Pa., (May 24, 2023) — In the ever-changing field of addiction treatment, HMP Global’s 2023 East Coast Symposium will provide the latest strategies and emerging trends, including a keynote presentation on the neurobiological attributes of addiction, presented by Petros Levounis, MD, MA, the new President of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Taking place November 3-5 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, the meeting is an opportunity for mental health professionals to network and collaborate with like-minded peers, learn effective strategies for addiction treatment and behavioral health, and address significant challenges impacting patients.

In addition to his role as President of the APA, Dr. Levounis serves as professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and associate dean for professional development at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is also the chief of service at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, and director of the Northern New Jersey Medication Assisted Treatment Center of Excellence.

Dr. Levounis’ keynote, “Neurobiology of Addiction in 2023,” will be held from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Friday, November 3. Describing addiction as “the hijacking of the pleasure-reward pathways of the brain and a weakening of its executive function,” Levounis’ presentation will cover how this model has been expanded to include newer concepts such as motivational circuitry and anti-reward pathways. These 21st century discoveries inform clinical innovations that are now changing the landscape of the pharmacological and psychosocial treatments of substance use disorders and the behavioral addictions.

Educational program

The educational program at East Coast Symposium covers the most important topics facing behavioral health, addiction, and treatment center professionals, including trauma, pain management, harm reduction, family, ethics, and cannabis. Dr. Levounis joins a lineup of leading experts in the addiction treatment field, including:

• Antonello Bonci, MD, Founder, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of GIA Healthcare
• Judy T. Crane, MA, LMHC, CAP, ICADC, CSAT, CEO and Founder of The Guest House Ocala
• Tanya L. Gouveia, MS, MPA, LCDP-II, LADC-I, adjunct professor, Bristol Community College and licensed alcohol and drug counselor, Addiction Recovery Counseling, LLC
• James Montgomery, MD, Medical Director, APN – Keller
• Robert Schwarz, PsyD, Licensed Psychologist Executive Director, The Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology
• Andrew Tatarsky, PhD, Founder and Director, Center for Optimal Living
• Jason L. Thompson, BSc, qEEG-T, President, +Plus by APN

“As our nation continues to struggle with overdoses exceeding 100,000 annually, the front-line work that behavioral health and addiction professionals are doing is critical,” said Doug Edwards, Senior Vice President, HMP Education, a subsidiary of HMP Global. “East Coast Symposium is a valuable opportunity to learn the latest updates in the field, best practices for care, and improving outcomes and quality of life for patients.”

The East Coast Symposium features more than 35 national expert speakers presenting a robust, three-day educational program, and opportunities to earn more than 16 CME/CE credits. It is designed and accredited for professionals in the field of addiction and behavioral health, including psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, therapists, social workers, interventionists, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, primary care physicians, executives, marketers, and others committed to the cause of addiction treatment.

Previously known as NCAD East, the East Coast Symposium is one of four premier educational events focused on providing timely education for addiction treatment and behavioral health professionals. It is produced by HMP Global as part of the Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Learning Network.

For more information or to register, visit eastcoastsymposium.com.  

ABOUT HMP GLOBAL   

HMP Global is the force behind Healthcare Made Practical — and is an omnichannel leader in healthcare content, events, and education, with a mission to improve patient care. The company produces accredited medical education events — in person and online via its proprietary VRTX virtual platform — and clinically relevant, evidence-based content for the global healthcare community across a range of therapeutic areas. Its brands include the HMP Global Learning Network, healthcare's most comprehensive source for news and information; Psych Congress, the largest independent mental health meeting in the U.S.; the Evolution of Psychotherapy, the world’s largest independent educational event for mental health professionals; the Leipzig Interventional Course (LINC), the leading, global gathering for interdisciplinary cardiovascular specialists; EMS World Expo, North America's largest EMT and paramedic event; and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com.