Conference Chair Letter

Join Us in Long Beach

CSAM has an enduring tradition of being ahead of the curve in educating addiction medicine physicians in State of the Art science and its clinical applications. Our conference this year features the best and brightest minds in diverse areas to provide you with the latest developments in addiction medicine, improve your clinical practice, and prepare you for the future of Addiction Medicine.

The plenary begins by addressing the interaction of stress and addiction, Rajita Sinha, PhD from Yale will examine the latest findings on the neurobiology of stress and addiction and its role in relapse. David Pating, MD and Jeffery Wilkins, MD will examine the role of acute and chronic stress, co-morbid medical conditions and issues effecting veterans. A panel discussion and case presentation will highlight clinical implications and strategies to translate the science into patient care.

Thursday afternoon will address what clinicians can expect from health care reform, what changes will be required, and help physicians assess their readiness to implement these changes. H. Westley Clark, MD, JD, MPH, Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) will be a featured speaker.

Our Friday afternoon module will look at the failure of the "war on drugs" and examine efforts toward developing a drug policy based on science - not ideology. We will hear speakers from new, model approaches to addiction and recovery. Among these, Fátima Trigueiros, from Portugal will discuss that country's experience in fully decriminalizing drug abuse. Other speakers will discuss an innovative housing first "wet housing" project in Seattle for chronic inebriates, the potential ramification of cannabis legalization and the role of incarceration in drug policy and treatment. The afternoon will conclude with a presentation of CSAM's own proposal for an evidence-based drug policy.

As always, CSAM will also cover the latest research in the addiction field. Among our speakers will be Francis Vocci, PhD on medications in the pipeline and the latest on kappa opiate receptors. Timmen Cermak, MD on the amygdala, novelty and the endocannabinoid system, Paula Riggs, MD on cannabis use disorders in adolescents and young adults, and Silas Wheelock Smith, MD on emerging drugs of abuse.

As usual CSAM offers pre-conference workshops on selected topics including motivational interviewing, advanced topics in buprenorphine treatment, and clinical master classes with experts on adolescent treatment (Paula Riggs, MD) and pain and addiction (Scott Fishman, MD). Garrett O'Connor, MD, always provocative and entertaining, will deliver the Thursday evening dessert lecture on "A Life in Addiction Medicine."

David Kan, MD, Conference Chair;
Medical Director, Opiate Replacement Therapy Clinic, San Francisco VA Medical Center; Assistant Clinical Professor, UC San Francisco

Conference Highlights

Up to 23 AMA/PRA Category 1 Credits^TM

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Addiction medicine specialists who want to get an overview of the latest developments in the field, and their relevance to clinical practice

Primary care physicians who want to get a better understanding of addiction treatment in order to deal effectively with addicted patients they see in their practice

Public health officials who want an understanding of the current state of addiction treatment

Non-physicians who are involved in the treatment of addicted patients

Addiction Medicine State of the Art

Wednesday, October 12
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS (additional fee)

Registration opens (7:30am)

Morning Workshop (8:30 am to 12:00 noon)
Monitoring physician health: mental illness, disruptive behaviors and substance abuse

Afternoon Workshops (1:30 pm to 5:00 pm)
Chronic pain — optimizing treatment while mitigating risk: a clinical master class
Treatment of addiction in adolescents and young adults: a clinical master class

State of the Art Plenary Sessions

click on date to see daily schedule

Conference Fees

CREDIT

Physicians

The California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) is accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality/California Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians. CSAM takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

CSAM designates this educational activity for a maximum of 23 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This credit may also be applied to the CMA Certification in Continuing Medical Education.

Family Physicians

Accreditation is pending from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Psychologists

The California Board of Psychology accepts CME courses accredited by the California Medical Association for continuing education credit. In other states, where requirements vary, psychologists should check with their state board.

Therapists

This course meets requirements for up to 23 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs, MFCCs and LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. The provider number is PCE3447.

Drug Abuse Counselors

CSAM has been approved as California Association of Drug Abuse Counselors Education Provider #4C-05-415-0411. All applying for CAADAC credit should report their hours directly to CAADAC.

HOTEL AND LOCATION

The Hyatt Regency is currently sold out on some nights. We have arranged a block of rooms at the AVIA Hotel, located at 285 Bay Street just one block from the Hyatt Regency. For reservations call (800) 233-1234 . The conference rate is $169.00/night. When making reservations, please reference, CSAM 2011 Annual Conference.

The conference hotel is the Hyatt Regency Long Beach located at 200 South Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802. A limited number of rooms are available at the conference rate of $169 per night for single or double rooms until September 19, 2011. After this date, the hotel may offer any remaining rooms at the prevailing rate.

To make reservations, phone 800-233-1234. Identify yourself as a CSAM registrant to receive the conference rate. Rooms can also be booked online at www.csam-asam.org.

The hotel is located 18 miles from Los Angeles International Airport and 8 miles from Long Beach Airport. Taxi and shuttle services are available from both airports.

The Hyatt Regency Long Beach hotel sits at the edge of Long Beach's beautiful Rainbow Harbor. The hotel features breathtaking views from all guest rooms, and is just steps away from the area's major attractions: beaches, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, Pine Avenue shops and restaurants, Shoreline Village and The Pike at Rainbow Harbor. Enjoy championship golf courses or take a ferry to Catalina Island. Long Beach is located centrally to famous Southern California landmarks and amusement parks - including Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm - only 30 minutes away.

Exhibitor Information

Registration is now open for exhibitors at the California Society of Addiction Medicine's Addiction Medicine State of the Art 2011 conference in Long Beach October 12-15 (see exhibit schedule below). Exhibit space is limited so please register early.

The conference is the largest addiction medicine conference in the Western United States and draws more than 500 physicians who specialize in treating addiction. The conference offers excellent exposure for treatment centers, pharmaceutical companies and others who want to reach the top physicians in the field.

CSAM is well known for the exceptional quality of its educational offerings. This year we feature topics ranging from stress and addiction, health care reform, treatment of adolescents, pain and addiction and much more (click on the conference information link above for the full schedule.

Fees

To reserve your exhibit space, send the attached registration form (including the signed agreement) and $900 to CSAM. The fee includes: one six-foot table-top exhibit space and refreshment breaks, and up to four exhibitor registrations.

Exhibitor registration does not provide unrestricted access to plenary sessions or CME credit. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis so register now!

Sponsorship

Sponsorship is another excellent way to promote your company and products! Sponsorship opportunities range from $1000 - $5000. There are opportunities to sponsor continental breakfasts, coffee breaks, luncheons, and receptions. All sponsors will be recognized in the program, the CSAM newsletter, and in-person at the conference.

Information on providing educational grants

Newsletter

Target CSAM members now by advertising in CSAM newsletter! Over 500 physicians receive copies of the Summer and Fall newsletters - two perfect opportunities to promote you and your company.

Advertising rates are very reasonable. Contact the CSAM office at csam@compuserve.com or (415) 764-4855 for details.

SCHOLARSHIP

Applications for 2011 scholarships for residents and faculty in residency training programs are available now from the Medical Education and Research Foundation. To apply click here.

The Medical Education and Research Foundation for the Treatment of Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies (MERF) was established to improve education for all physicians about all aspects of addiction, highlighting the clinical continuum of diagnosis, treatment and recovery for the patient and family members.

To increase the opportunities for residents and their faculty to learn about the diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism and other drug dependencies, MERF offers scholarships annually to both physicians in training and teaching faculty in residency training programs.

MERF scholarships offer an opportunity to learn side by side with specialists in practice of addiction medicine, in mentored activities. Activities for residents - such as case discussions, brief meetings with faculty members, a dinner meeting and a lunch meeting - are scheduled during each conference. Scholarship recipients sit together during the conference and participate in activities designed for them.

The scholarship pays the conference registration fee and a stipend to offset travel and overnight costs.

About CSAM

The California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) was founded in 1973 by physicians who wanted a professional society for continuing medical education and peer interaction. In 1989 it became a state chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is an association of physicians dedicated to improving the treatment of alcoholism and other addictions, educating physicians and medical students, promoting research and prevention, and enlightening and informing the medical community and the public about these issues. The Society serves its members by providing opportunities for education and sharing of experiences, and by promoting the development of a body of professional knowledge and literature to enhance the quality and increase the availability of appropriate health care for people affected by the addictions.

Membership in CSAM is coupled with membership in ASAM. Physicians join the state chapter and the national organization simultaneously and receive the benefits of both concurrently. Membership is open to physicians and medical students interested and involved in the treatment of alcoholic and/or drug dependent patients.