News & Media
APSAD 2021 Virtual Conference
APSAD 2021 Virtual Conference
We were looking forward to seeing everyone at APSAD 2021 in Brisbane, however, due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown in some states, the fluctuating situation around Australasia, and its impact on our community’s ability to travel to the conference, we have made the difficult decision to move the 40th APSAD Conference to a fully virtual conference. Our priority is the safety of our staff, delegates, sponsors and stakeholders and we do not feel that holding a large indoor public gathering is the right thing to do at this time.
As the conference was already a hybrid model, we are fully equipped and ready to deliver a world-class virtual event. There will be plenary sessions and concurrent sessions, along with the Pre-conference workshops and breakfast sessions.
All sessions will be recorded and available for delegates to view at a later date for up to 3 months.
The conference will still be held over 3 days and there will be a mix of live presentations (including panel discussions) and pre-recorded presentations with presenters live online answering questions.
The dates and schedule of the conference are unchanged, and conference registration (at the lower virtual rate) will still be required for all attendees and speakers. We consider the current circumstances as an opportunity to innovate the conference into an engaging virtual event that will be rewarding for both presenters and attendees.
For delegates that have registered for face-to-face, we will be in touch to arrange a refund to the virtual price for you. In addition, we will continue to provide regular updates as we move this event to virtual. Please bear with us as we implement these changes, we will be in touch with everyone who has registered as soon as we can.
We are dedicated to bringing the 40th APSAD Conference to as many alcohol and other drugs workers as possible with APSAD Council making the decision to cover the administration fee for all in-person registrations converted to virtual.
We would like take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and exhibitors, we greatly appreciate the ongoing support for this leading alcohol and other drugs conference and look forward to continuing to work with you in the virtual environment.
More information about the digital platform and virtual format will be posted soon along with details of the conference program and satellite events.
Secure your ticket to APSAD 2021.
To learn more about the conference, view the program, read the abstracts, apply for a scholarship, or to register head over to our dedicated APSAD 2021 website.
APSAD 2020 WEBINAR SERIES NOW AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON DEMAND
APSAD 2020 WEBINAR SERIES NOW AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON DEMAND
Through November in place of the annual conference APSAD held a series of webinars. The 2020 Webinar Series was convened by Prof Leanne Hides with input from APSAD's members through subcommittees and special interest groups.
The Webinar Series included the annual APSAD Awards presentation ceremony, with APSAD Early Career Awardee Cheneal Puljević's presentation on Missed opportunities to reduce tobacco smoking among people who experience incarceration or homelessness. Professor Wayne Hall delivered the keynote oration Retrospections of a Recovering Drug Researcher. The ASCP-SIG put together the annual Australasian Smoking Cessation Professionals Update Day with two 1-hour webinars, where Professor Tom Calma AO provide an Overview of the Commonwealth’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program: Priorities and Evaluations, and Dr Raglan Maddox looked at the continuing downward trend within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking rates, among other great speakers and topics. The EMCR Subcommittee solicited abstracts from students and ECRs to put together a Rapid Fire session. The APSAD 2020 Webinar Series concluded with two sessions on COVID-19 and the impact it has had on people who use drugs and clinicians.
Watch the 2020 APSAD WEBINAR SERIES now as a Playlist or watch the individual webinars.
NHMRC ‘QUITLINK’ STUDY in Victoria Recruiting Online
From 16 November 2020 – 31 March 2021
Professor Amanda Baker from the University of Newcastle is leading a NHMRC funded study evaluating the effectiveness of commonly available forms of smoking cessation care among people receiving support or treatment for alcohol and other drug and/or mental health issues. The study is limited to people in VICTORIA.
If you are based in VICTORIA and have any clients who may be interested, please pass on this advertisement to them.
If you would like further information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Online recruitment will be running from 16th November (closed 21st December 2020 -10th January 2021) til 31 March.
Click here to view the advertisement.
Opportunity for research & scholarship funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals
Opportunity for research & scholarship funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals (clinicians, nurses, allied health workers).
The National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED) is looking to support clinical research conducted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals (clinicians nurses, allied health workers) working in the alcohol and other drugs sector. NCCRED has developed a Clinical Research Scholarship Program to build the scope and capacity of clinical research on emerging drugs through the provision of mentoring, research project funds, and salary buy-back. This is a national program open to clinicians at all levels, anywhere in Australia. Please contact us to discuss any ideas that you have.
Applicants to this round will should read the application pack provided and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Applications open 2nd October 2020 and close 6th November. For more information please visit https://nccred.org.au/
The Neuroscience Interest Group of International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM-NIG)
New monthly talk series, In love with addiction neuroscience
For further information and to register for future talks visit their website
Invitation to participate in an Update of the National Comorbidity Guidelines
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health to update and revise the ‘Guidelines on the management of co-occurring alcohol and other drug and mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment settings’ (second edition).
Originally published in 2009, with the second edition released in 2016, this hugely popular resource aimed to provide alcohol and other drug (AOD) workers with evidence-based information on the management of comorbid mental health conditions in AOD settings. Since publication of the second edition in July 2016, 15,000 hard and electronic copies have been distributed to clinicians and treatment services across Australia.
Subsequent funding from the Australian Government Department of Health enabled the development of an accompanying online training program and interactive online copy of the second edition. Since the website and online training program were launched in November 2017, close to 3,500 people have begun using the program and more than 650 people have completed the full training program. The website has attracted a monthly average of approximately 3,000 visitors (>5,650 per month in 2020).
The revision of the second edition will bring the Guidelines up to date with the most current evidence. The project is being undertaken by Dr Christina Marel, Prof Katherine Mills, Dr Alana Fisher, Ms Erin Madden, Prof Maree Teesson, Dr Mark Deady, Prof Frances Kay-Lambkin, Prof Amanda Baker, Prof Andrew Baillie, and Prof Kevin Gournay.
The revision team would be delighted if members of the alcohol and other drugs sector would be interested in participating in the revision through one (or more) of the following:
- Attending one of online two discussion forums;
- Completing a short online survey;
- Emailing feedback about the Guidelines directly to our team.
Online discussion forums
The revision team are holding two online discuss forums open to anyone, and hope that that these forums will be attended by a variety of interested stakeholders including alcohol and other drug workers, clinicians, healthcare workers, consumers and people with lived experience of mental health and substance use, family members, carers as well as academic experts. Additional discussion forums may be made available depending on demand.
The discussion forums will be held online on
Discussion Forum 1: Tuesday 8 September 2020, from 1 to 4pm AEST,and
Discussion Forum 2: Thursday 10 September 2020, from 9am to 12pm AEST.
During the forums, discussion will include the content of the Guidelines with a particular focus on how the existing resource can be improved. A copy of the current edition of the Guidelines is available for download on the Comorbidity Guidelines website: https://
If you are interested in participating as a discussion forum member in either forum, please register below.
Register for Discussion Forum 1: Tuesday 8 September 2020, from 1 to 4pm AEST
https://bit.ly/cgl-discussion-
Register for Discussion Forum 2: Thursday 10 September 2020, from 9am to 12pm AEST
https://bit.ly/cgl-discussion-
Online survey
The online survey will take around 5 minutes to complete, and will focus on the current (2nd edition) Guidelines, and areas for improvement.
The survey will remain open until 5pm (AEST) 30th September 2020.
Click here to complete the online survey: https://bit.ly/cgl-second-ed-
Send feedback directly to us
We also welcome any other form of feedback that can be sent directly to our team.
Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before 5pm (AEST) 30th September 2020
HPCA is seeking applications from registered NSW physicians and psychiatrists to become health assessors
HPCA is seeking applications from registered drug and alcohol psychiatry and physicians specialising in drug and alcohol dependence assessment and treatment located in NSW to become health assessors on the Council Directed Health Assessment List (the List).
The List includes health assessors who may be engaged to assess the health of registered health practitioners under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW). Health assessors provide assessment reports that assist the health professional councils and impaired registrants panels to determine if a registered health practitioner is impaired under the National Law (NSW). If a registered health practitioner is impaired, further action may be recommended by the health assessor. This includes restrictions on practice and other options available to the relevant health professional council.
The List has been established to support the timely and flexible provision of health assessments across NSW. You can apply, via a single application process to work with all 15 health professional councils in NSW.You can apply for the List at any time, however in order to be considered for the first round, your application will need to be submitted by COB 31 August 2020.
For further information on how to apply and to complete an application form, visit hpca.nsw.gov.au/CDHAList
The APSAD podcast series ‘Thoughts of Substance’ is calling for Interviewees
Listserv for APSAD EMCR and Student Members
This newly developed listserv has been established by the APSAD Early-Mid Career Researcher (EMCR) subcommittee to facilitate member communication and the sharing of information and opportunities for all APSAD EMCR and Student Members. Join in the conversation with other APSAD EMCR and Student members where you can share relevant news and opportunities.
Are you an APSAD Member interested in joining the APSAD EMCR Network Listserv, send an email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to join.
Members should familiarise themselves with the EMCR Listserv Standards of Conduct before posting, and ensure the Standards are followed.This Listserv is not moderated and messages posted represent only the views of the individuals posting. APSAD does not endorse the accuracy of any "statements"
Members can opt-out of the listserv at any time by clicking the 'opt-out' link at the end of every listserv email.
Webinar: ClinTrial Refer: A New APProach to Increasing Cross-Referral and Recruitment to Clinical Trials
WEBINAR
ClinTrial Refer: A New APProach to Increasing Cross-Referral and Recruitment to Clinical Trials
When: 13.00 (AEST) Thursday 16 July
Presenter: Mrs Christine Zahren, Business Development Manager, ClinTrial Refer
Clinical Trial Refer (CTR), a mobile app and website platform, that helps connect patients and clinicians to current clinical trials, facilitating the connection of individuals to studies with interventions that may help them.
The NSW Drug and Alcohol Clinical Research and Improvement Network (DACRIN) invested in the CTR app to enable Addiction Medicine clinicians to enhance client access to clinical trials. Learn how to connect your patients to relevant trials via the CTR app.
| REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR |
Register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.