Stephanie Stillwell

Stephanie is registered nurse with a diverse background in the healthcare industry, including pediatric neuropsychiatry, public health nursing, addiction treatment and healthcare consulting. However, her passion is promoting community health & wellness and disease prevention. Stephanie works creatively to bridge the gap between the healthcare system, individuals, and the community. She has facilitated multiple local and statewide coalitions throughout the state of Alaska, actively works to empower individuals and communities to co-create and shift systems that will bring positive change to the health and wellbeing of all Alaskans and beyond. Stephanie is an Anishinaabe woman from Lac la Croix First Nation in Ontario, Canada.

Sarah Spencer, DO, ABPM

Sarah Spencer, DO, ABPM. Dr. Sarah Spencer is board certified in family and addiction medicine and has been providing treatment for opioid use disorder in rural Alaska for over a decade. She is currently an employee of the Ninilchik Traditional Council and provides family medicine and addiction treatment services at their tribal clinic, including telemedicine to remote native villages. She is the volunteer medical director of Alaska’s first rural syringe access program in Homer, is a co-author of the state’s medications for addiction treatment guide and provides addiction medicine consultation for non-profits including the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and the Opioid Response Network.

Description: This session confronts the pervasive stigma surrounding Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment. During this interactive 60-minute virtual presentation, participants will dive into the impact of stigma on individuals seeking SUD treatment and explore effective strategies for reducing stigma within healthcare settings. Through interactive discussions and case scenarios, attendees will develop proactive solutions to address stigma-related challenges, promoting compassionate care and improving patient outcomes.

Objectives:

1. Explore misconceptions about SUD and understand stigma's impact, emphasizing compassionate care for patients.
2. Discuss language's role in shaping perceptions and cultivate empathy and explore effective strategies for reducing stigma within healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes. 
3. Analyze case scenarios to address stigma-related challenges in SUD treatment and develop proactive solutions for enhancing patient care.