Jennie Lannette Bedsworth is a licensed clinical social worker who provides DBT and trauma therapy at Fulton State Hospital. She works with clients who are working to manage mental illnesses (such as psychotic and mood disorders) and overcome PTSD. She regularly uses creative activities to supplement evidence-based therapies and individualize treatment to best meet client needs and build upon existing strengths. She has a master’s in social work as well as supplemental training in healing arts, play therapy to treat traumatic grief, expressive movement, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, and multiple additional areas relating to trauma recovery and creative expressions.

Presentation(s)

Relax, Move and Play (non-credit)

Dr. Chris Wolf, DO, Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rusk Rehabilitation Center in Columbia. Dr. Wolf specializes in Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with an emphasis on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  Dr. Wolf’s Research Interests include, brain injury, memory, musculoskeletal pain, regenerative medicine and stroke. Dr. Wolf has numerous publications to his name and has been honored with numerous awards including, the President’s Award for meritorious service given by the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons, and was Inside Magazine nominee for “Best Doctor of the Year 2013.

Presentation(s)

Recognizing, Preventing and Addressing TBI in High Risk Populations

Robert Riley II, MAADC II, serves as an Addiction Counselor for the Clayton Behavioral Addiction Medicine Center and leads the CB Addiction Education and Community Outreach program. Robert leads addiction recovery groups and provides one-on-one addiction counseling for clients at Clayton Behavioral. He develops structure and strategy for Addiction Education outreach programs in schools and communities, which range from simple presentations to half-day and full-day programs. Robert is the Co-founder of the Missouri Network for Opiate Reform and Recovery and the Missouri SAFE Project (Syringe Access for Everyone) and since 2012 has been instrumental in advocating for change in state and national public policy to address the opiate epidemic. Robert has been recognized as a “recovery activist” and honored by multiple organizations for his educational and advocacy efforts in the treatment of addiction. He was instrumental in advocacy that supported the successful 2014 passage of HB 2040 in Missouri, allowing all first responders to administer Narcan® to overdose victims. He also successfully advocated for passage of HB 1568 that allowed 3rd party access to naloxone at all pharmacies in the State of Missouri. In 2016 he partnered with civic leaders and successfully passed local ordinances in St. Louis City and County that established a prescription data monitoring program. His organization was instrumental in getting a local ordinance in Saint Louis City for the 911 Good Samaritan that provided limited immunity for someone reporting a medical emergency of a drug related overdose. He received the Next Step scholarship for individuals active in recovery, was nominated for the 2015 Vernon Johnson Award—Faces and Voices of Recovery Organization and he received the 2015 EXMAD Award from Manasseh Ministry honoring former offenders making a difference in their communities.

Presentation(s)

Beyond Awareness: Changing systems to reverse the overdose epidemic

Dr. Rob Paul is the Director of the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, and Professor of Psychological Sciences/Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Intrigued by the complexity of the human brain, Dr. Paul has dedicated his career to help unravel one of the greatest mysteries in the world. His research program utilizes a multidisciplinary integration of biometrics, advanced neuroimaging applications, and neuropsychological examination to challenge current models and identify novel solutions to our most vexing neurological and behavioral disorders. He is the Principal Investigator of multiple research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and he has published more than 250 scientific articles and 2 edited books, and multiple book chapters.

Presentation(s)

Weird Science: Subconscious and Epigenetic Drivers of Mental Health

Alexa Thompson works for the Division of Behavioral Health as the Staff Training and Development Coordinator and focuses on promoting peer support services throughout Missouri. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Community Counseling from the University of Central Missouri and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Presentation(s)

Community Support and Peer Support: Working Together for Success

Scott Kerby, LPC, works with the Crisis Team at Truman Medical Center after several years serving as a Clinical Team Leader of Recovery Health Services, a dual diagnosis treatment facility in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. He has been a featured speaker at Kansas University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Truman Medical Center, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a variety of schools and churches in the community. Scott has 8 years of experience in both substance abuse and mental health counseling, and over 12 years of experience working with at risk youth and families. He has a passion for working with “hard to reach” clients who tend to be marginalized and cast aside.  Scott holds a MA in Counseling from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a BS in Human Services from Missouri Baptist University. Scott is known for his quick wit, sense of humor, positive attitude, and commitment to bettering himself and those around him. He has a love of good books, improvisational comedy, differing worldviews, travel, public speaking, coaching little league, cognitive behavioral therapy, and adventures with his wife, Sara, of 17 years. Scott is also a licensed and ordained minister who enjoys blending the secular with the sacred, often in an irreverent, thought provoking manner.

Presentation(s)

Medication Assisted Treatment: Not Just a Safety Net, a Part of Integrated Treatment

Kristine Norris, RN BS is the Regional Director of Quality Management for the Eastern Region: St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center, Metropolitan St. Louis Psychiatric Center and Hawthorn Children’s Psychiatric Hospital. Ms. Norris has been the Regional Director for Quality Management for the Eastern Region for six years and has more than ten years’ experience in Quality Management and over 17 years as a Registered Nurse.  Ms. Norris graduated from St. Louis University in 2000.  At this time, Ms. Norris is working on obtaining her Green Belt through The Joint Commission.

Presentation(s)

Lean Six Sigma in Behavioral Health

Chun-Zi Peng got her PhD in clinical psychology from Xiang-Ya medical School (one of the top medical schools) in China. She worked at MIMH in mental health data analysis and research after she finished her postdoc training at Washington University in St Louis, department of psychiatry, and published in highly respected academic journals, and presented findings in international conferences. Growing up in China, she has been practicing QiGong and TaiChi since she was a teenager, and followed her parents to attend various meditation workshops. When pursuing her psychology degrees, she was trained in group therapy, meditation techniques, and conducted cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy programs for college students. She has been practicing Yoga for more than 10 years, and is a regular meditator on the meditation teacher training track in mind-body medicine through University of Massachusetts. She actively attended meditation retreats, and taught classes, and facilitated community meditation groups.  As a researcher and meditator with clinical training background, she has unique personal experience and academic perspective on meditation.

Presentation(s)

Mindfulness Meditation: An Easy and Effective Self-Care Skill  – This presentation will be given twice in the Self-Care Room (Parasol I); on Thursday from 2:00pm – 3:00pm and Friday from 10:30am – 11:30am; seating is limited to 25 seats per presentation.