2023 Sobering Summit

Learn and share with industry experts in the heart of Washington, D.C. for two full days of conference dedicated to sobering care.

Registration is now closed.

Oct 5-6

Washington DC

Keynote speaker

Greg Williams, award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer, and addiction health strategist

eaton-hotel

Conference rate and location

To reserve a room at the conference rate ($299/night), please see the Eaton Hotel link in your confirmation email.

Eaton Hotel – 1201 K Street, Washington DC

Sponsorship opportunities

Sponsorship opportunities are available – don’t miss out!

Reception

Summit Welcome Reception will be on the evening of October 4 with full-day programming on October 5-6. The full agenda is forthcoming.

SUMMIT AGENDA

This agenda is subject to change. Please check back periodically for updates.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 - Welcome Reception

Baker’s Daughter  (at the Eaton)
Light bites and cash bar

6 – 8 pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5

Registration / Continental Breakfast

8 – 9 am

Welcome

Shannon Smith-Bernardin, PhD, RN, CNL 
University of California, San Francisco
Smith-Bernardin Consulting 
Oakland, CA

Sylvia Barnard
Good Samaritan Shelter
Santa Barbara, CA

Shauna Goodman, MPA
National Sobering Collaborative Sacramento, CA

9 – 9:45 am

Breakout Sessions

10 am – 11 am

Session 1

Sobering Care 101

Hilary Aquino, MA
Exodus Recovery David L Murphy Sobering Center
Los Angeles, CA

Session 2

Withdrawal Stabilization and MAT: An Innovative Collaboration with EMS 

Laura Elmore, LMSW-AP
Sobering Center Austin
Austin, TX

Mike Sasser, EMT-P, CHW
Austin/Travis County EMS
Austin, TX

Breakout Sessions

Session 3

Partnering with Law Enforcement: Creating Community Through Working Together

Jean Sokora, LCSW, CCDP-D, CRPSS, CPS
Preferred Family Healthcare
St Louis, MO

Major Eric Larson, Esq. 
Metropolitan Police Department
St Louis, MO

Session 4

Peer Recovery Panel

Facilitator: David Heffron
Telecare Corporation
Alameda, CA

Panelists:

Anthony Bass
Horizon Treatment Services Cherry Hill Detoxification Services Program
San Leandro, CA

Rochelle Ramirez, LCSW
Telecare Corporation: Recovery Station
Bakersfield, CA

John Singer
Preferred Family Healthcare Dunnica Sobering Support Center
St. Louis, MO

11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Lunch

Sponsored by

12:30 – 2 pm

Breakout Sessions

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Session 5

Chronic Substance Use Disorders: Partnership to Reduce Emergency Department Overutilization

Suzanne Jarvis, MPH Houston Recovery Center Houston, TX 

Melissa Perez-Halley, LMSW, MA Harris Health System Houston, TX

Session 6

Bridging the Gap: Sobering Centers and Managed Alcohol Programs

Devora Keller, MD, MPH 
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Sobering Center & Managed Alcohol Program
San Francisco, CA

Standards of Care for Sobering

Shannon Smith-Bernardin, PhD, RN, CNL

3:15 – 4:30 pm

Dinner Break

4:30 – 7 pm

"Tipping the Pain Scale" Film Screening & Q&A

Sponsored by Bridgeway Recovery Services

Greg Williams, MA
Third Horizon Strategies

7 – 9:30 pm

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6

Continental Breakfast

8 – 9 am

Keynote: Greg Williams, MA

Third Horizon Strategies

Key Note Address Sponsored by GET HELP

9 – 10:15 am

Moving from Hope to Healing: District of Columbia Stabilization and Sobering Center

Arish Narayen, Esq. District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Washington DC

Robert Holman, MD, DC Fire and EMS Medical Director
Washington DC

10:30 – 11:15 am

Breakout Session

Session 7

SoMa RISE Center: Addressing Unmet Needs for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) in Crisis

Paul Harkin, MA, Jose Rios and Eli Smith, EMT
HealthRight360
San Francisco, CA

Session 8

Getting it Right: The road to bringing Sobering Care to your community

Avital Graves, MBA, MHA, NRP
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services
Gaithersburg, MD

Rolando Santiago, PhD, CFRE
Montgomery County Health and Human Services
Rockville, MD

11:30 am- 12:30 pm

"Table Talk" Lunch

Shannon Smith-Bernardin, PhD, RN, CNL
University of California, San Francisco
Smith-Bernardin Consulting
Oakland, CA

Sylvia Barnard
Good Samaritan Shelter
Santa Barbara, CA

Shauna Goodman, MPA
National Sobering Collaborative
Sacramento, CA

12:45 pm – 2:15 pm

Two-Way Listening Session with SAMHSA

Yngvild K. Olsen, MD, MPH
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Washington DC
 

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsor Packages are available for the 2023 Summit: October 5-6 in Washington DC

2023 Sobering Summit Committee

Staff Lead: Shauna Goodman
Board Lead: Sylvia Barnard, Good Samaritan Shelter

Staff Support: Kim Balmorez

Volunteer Committee

Jean Harris-Sokora
Dunnica Sobering Support Center
St. Louis, MO

Brian Jarman
Substance Abuse Center Kansas (SACK)
Wichita, KS

Cathy Imburgia
Creative Communications
Albuquerque, NM

Anne Johnston
CODA Inc
Portland, OR

Kisun Peters
Tuerk House
Baltimore, MD

Tim Quigley
South Shore Health
Weymouth, MA

Tina Sentner
Horizon Services
San Jose, CA