The Pennsylvania Association of Addiction Professionals (PAAP) will host its 2025 Annual Conference on September 18, 2025, under the theme "Collaborations for Change," aiming to address critical behavioral health challenges through unified professional efforts. The event, offered both in-person and via live-stream, convenes clinicians, peer support specialists, supervisors, and system leaders to dismantle silos in addiction treatment. Dr. Ken Martz, PAAP President and keynote speaker, stressed that "addiction is not just a disease of the brain. It's a disease of disconnection," underscoring the conference's mission to replace isolation with collaboration. This focus is timely as behavioral health professionals contend with rising acuity, workforce shortages, and growing demands for trauma-informed and culturally competent care.
Conference highlights encompass skill-building workshops on emotional intelligence, clinical supervision, and ethical decision-making, alongside specialty deep dives into tobacco and gambling disorder integration, stigma reduction, and culturally responsive care. The event incorporates peer-driven dialogues that center lived experience and recovery wisdom, providing CE-eligible content from NAADAC for addiction professionals. Participants will acquire practical tools for integrating peer support into clinical systems, reshaping language around relapse and recovery, and advocating for health equity in specialized services. The conference seeks to arm professionals to lead organizational change within complex treatment environments. Registration details are accessible through https://paaddictionprofessionals.org/registration-information-paap-annual-conference/, with discounts available for members and group registrations.
