Opioid Learning & Response Collaborative Training

This interactive training introduces participants to the foundational principles, goals, and structure of The ASAM Criteria, Fourth Edition, Volume 2: Adolescents and Transition-Aged Youth. It provides a comprehensive overview of the continuum of care for adolescent substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, emphasizing developmental considerations, family engagement, and integrated care for co-occurring conditions. Participants will examine the guiding principles that shape admission, continued service, and transition decisions, as well as the updated dimensional framework and standards for individualized, family-driven, and youth-guided treatment planning.

The session also explores normal adolescent development, risk and protective factors, and the neuroscience of addiction to contextualize clinical decision-making. The training highlights the importance of secondary and tertiary prevention as essential components of adolescent treatment, recognizing that early identification, timely intervention, and sustained recovery and family support are critical to interrupting progression, reducing harm, and promoting healthy development. Designed to be highly interactive and case-based, the training engages participants in real-world scenarios and collaborative discussions that apply the updated ASAM Criteria concepts in practice. These case-based exercises support clinicians in translating theory into actionable skills, strengthening their confidence in making level-of-care recommendations and developing individualized, developmentally attuned treatment and prevention plans.

After completing this course, learners will be able to:

1. Review the foundational principles of the ASAM Criteria and the major updates to The ASAM Criteria, Fourth Edition
2. Identify the content, functionality, and capabilities of the redesigned digital and print tools of The ASAM Criteria
3. Recognize potential inquiries from the provider community and how to access resources related to standards and practices consistent with the implementation of The ASAM Criteria, Fourth Edition
4. Discuss and share ideas and feedback for training needs across the State.

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This introductory session is designed for nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers with little or no experience writing a grant proposal. Participants will learn: common vocabulary used in the grant world; the key differences between public- and private-sector grant opportunities; some of the current trends in grantmaking; how to find funding opportunities; how to determine whether a funding opportunity aligns with their organization’s mission, capacity, and funding needs; how to get started developing a grant proposal; and how to structure a multi-year grant budget. 

Presenter Kristin Olson will deliver the webinar content in an interactive format, incorporating breakout rooms and polls, to encourage participants to engage with their peers and contribute to the conversation.  

After completing this course, learners will be able to:  

• Describe the key differences between public- and private-sector grants.
• Use a curated grants database to search for prospective grant opportunities.

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The Opioid Learning and Response Collaborative (OLRC) is hosting its next Regional Networking Event on June 4, 2026 in Chicago, IL. This event will bring together professionals working in prevention, harm reduction, and street outreach to build connections and break down silos.

Attendees will hear presentations from the West Side Heroin Opioid Taskforce. West Side will provide a presentation entitled “Addressing the Opioid Overdose Epidemic on the Westside of Chicago through Stakeholder Engagement and Peer-led Street Outreach” led by Fanya Burford-Berry, Richard Vargas, and members of the street outreach team. This presentation will use a didactic and interactive demonstration format to convey our real-world implementation of a peer-led services model overdose prevention street outreach program. The West Side Heroin Opioid Task Force is a community collaboration with the mission to reduce overdoses in Chicago’s West side communities of Austin, East and West Garfield, North Lawndale and Humboldt Park. Prevention Partnership Inc., serves as the coordinating agency.

Prevention First will present about the OLRC (mission, background, and purpose), provide a tutorial on the new OLRC website and resource hub, and introduce upcoming events and opportunities. Attendees will leave having learned of a new resource to utilize and how OLRC can be a support for professionals and communities across Illinois.

This event is open to all interested parties, with a focus on individuals with lived experience, those who supervise PLEs, and direct service workers, all working in rural settings.

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This interactive training provides a foundational introduction to LGBTQ+ identities, terminology, and community experiences, with a focus on building safer, more affirming environments within substance use, behavioral health, healthcare, prevention, and community support settings. Participants will explore the basics of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, pronouns, Pride flags, and major moments in LGBTQ+ history while developing a stronger understanding of the impact stigma, discrimination, shame, and social isolation can have on LGBTQ+ individuals. The training also highlights why cultural competency and inclusive practices matter, especially when working with communities disproportionately impacted by mental health and substance use challenges. Participants will leave with practical tools to foster respect, belonging, and affirming engagement in both professional and community spaces.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Define and differentiate key LGBTQ+ terminology related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and pronouns.
2. Describe historical and current social challenges impacting LGBTQ+ communities and recognize how stigma and discrimination can affect mental health and substance use outcomes.
3. Identify practical approaches for creating safer, more welcoming, and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ individuals in professional and community settings.
4. Demonstrate increased confidence and cultural awareness when respectfully engaging with LGBTQ+ individuals and communities.

Register now for the 2nd Annual Southern Illinois Recovery Network (SIRN) Regional Conference, a dynamic, one-day event designed to support, connect, and strengthen the workforce serving individuals and communities impacted by substance use and recovery.  

Thanks to funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Opioid Learning and Response Collaborative is able to waive registration fees for a limited number of participants. We encourage you to register early to secure your spot at SIRN at no cost. 

This conference brings together community health workers, peer support specialists, recovery professionals, and organizational leaders from across Southern Illinois to explore innovative strategies, share best practices, and build meaningful connections. Focused on enhancing workforce capacity across the region’s lower 18 counties, the event offers a unique opportunity to engage in conversations that matter, centered on sustainability, wellness, and community impact. 

Participants will experience: 

• Inspiring keynote sessions from leaders in the field  
• Interactive breakout sessions focused on recovery support, workforce development, and community health initiatives  
• Practical tools and strategies to prevent burnout, strengthen connections, and improve service delivery  
• Networking opportunities with peers and partners across the region  
• Recognition of outstanding leaders through our conference awards  

Doors open at 8:30. The day also includes donuts and coffee for a light welcome breakfast. Lunch will be provided, with time built in for networking and connecting with peers.

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This foundational training offers agency staff an introductory overview of individuals diagnosed with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This program is designed for those who do not have a significant background with co-occurring disorders and will discuss barriers to screening, assessment, and treatment of co-occurring disorders. Participants will gain insight into frequently occurring behavioral health conditions, contributing risk factors, and the impact of language and stigma on care. Updated and relevant research aligned with the ASAM Criteria Fourth Edition will be introduced along with the evolving models of integrated care and suggestions for how to best identify, screen and treat those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.  

After completing this course, learners will be able to:  

• Discuss the prevalence of co-occurring disorders in both substance use treatment settings and the general population  
• Compare treatment approaches—Addiction Only, Co-Occurring Capable, and Co-Occurring Enhanced—as defined by the ASAM Criteria Fourth Edition  
• Describe the evolution from addiction-only services to integrated models of care  
• Identify commonly occurring substance use and mental health disorders, along with key risk factors and etiologies  
• Explore evidence-based therapies, screening tools, and the impact of language and stigma in the treatment of co-occurring disorders  

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Join us for a six-session ECHO series designed to strengthen harm reduction, overdose prevention, and direct intervention outreach efforts across Illinois. Using the ECHO “all teach, all learn” model, participants engage in real-time learning with experts and peers through presentations, case discussions, and practical problem-solving. This series highlights how the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force (WSHOTF) built a community-rooted harm reduction model centered on continuous quality improvement, collaboration, and lived expertise.

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This six-session ECHO series is designed to strengthen the capacity of rural organizations and workforce professionals to effectively address opioid-related harm within the unique social, structural, and resource contexts of rural Illinois. Rural communities experience disproportionate impacts from overdoses while facing persistent challenges, including workforce shortages, limited funding, geographic isolation, transportation barriers, and heightened stigma related to substance use and recovery. Through a combination of brief didactic presentations, participant-driven case discussions, and facilitated peer learning, this ECHO series centers practical, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed strategies that can be implemented in resource-limited rural settings. Topics include expanding harm reduction and outreach in rural communities, strengthening and supporting the rural peer workforce, increasing access to and understanding of medication-assisted recovery (MAR), advancing equity and culturally responsive care for marginalized rural populations, and building organizational sustainability and evaluation capacity. The series emphasizes stigma reduction, community-centered approaches, and cross-sector collaboration, while honoring lived experience and rural expertise. Participants will leave with concrete tools, shared strategies, and strengthened connections with peers and subject-matter experts, enhancing their ability to deliver equitable, effective, and sustainable opioid-related services in rural communities.

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A true professional adds value to their organization. In this session, cross-check your professionalism against best practices. Learn how to positively influence coworkers and customers, relate to diversity, and adapt to various work environments. Understand how to use feedback to improve performance and be seen as a problem-solver. At the end of the session, you will have new tools to help you contribute to a healthy, positive workplace. 

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:  

1. Identify, describe, and model universal components of professionalism 
2. Accept responsibility for avoiding personal triggers and for how you may trigger others

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Boost your value at work by being seen as an effective problem-solver. In this session, explore the skills and strategies behind critical thinking — what it is and how to show it. Practice the ability to adopt multiple perspectives, analyze different data, and tackle complex issues collaboratively. Explore techniques for evaluating solutions and communicating them to key stakeholders. Walk away with confidence that you know how to generate improvements to benefit yourself, your team, and the organization. 

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:  

1. Practice problem-solving and data-analysis strategies 
2. Recognize and overcome barriers that limit or impede our thinking 

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Stressors at work create opportunities to rethink our responses and habits. In this session, identify challenges in your professional life and what contributes to them. Adopt strategies such as a proactive mindset and what-if thinking to anticipate problems before they arise. Grow your emotional intelligence to improve encounters with peers, supervisors, and customers. Explore how attending to your whole self affects your professionalism and career path. Leave with an action plan that promotes resilience in the face of workplace demands. 

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:  

1. Choose from several available strategies to manage challenges and stressors for improved professional experience 
2. Create a personal action plan and implement it to address challenges on the job

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Communication drives workplace engagement. In this session, get more strategic about communication as a professional skill. Tune in to your personal communication style and compare it with those of your peers, supervisors, and customers. Learn how to customize your approach and get the best results. Understand what to get right in managing in-person, written, and digital interactions to prevent conflict and promote productivity. Leave with new methods for connecting to others at work and contributing as a high-performing employee. 

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:  

1. Apply specific strategies to enjoy focused, intentional communication with coworkers, supervisors, and customers 
2. Understand when and how to engage in tough conversations about issues that could negatively affect an individual or an organization’s professionalism 

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Creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to contribute strengthens teams and drives performance. This session highlights how effective organizations cultivate inclusive practices that support collaboration, trust, and engagement across diverse teams. Participants will explore practical approaches to recognizing bias, building cultural awareness, and fostering inclusive interactions, both internally and externally. Leave with actionable strategies to foster a respectful, high-performing team environment. 

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:  

1. Identify everyday actions that support respectful and effective team dynamics across differences 
2. Apply two strategies to improve cultural awareness and communication

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