OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The annual Conference for Behavioral Health Professionals will take place virtually next week.
It’s the largest behavioral health conference in the state — a way for professionals like counselors, nurses and corrections officers to learn new tools to help those who struggle with addiction and mental health.
“I think sometimes this kind of work can be hard and we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to encourage people that even though this is hard work sometimes, it is so important and so rewarding,” said Connie Holmes, executive director of the Nebraska Council on Alcoholism and Addictions.
“Anytime I can improve on helping a client identify a barrier which allows them to get into sobriety or recovery and add some quality to that sobriety or recovery, I'm pretty excited about those kinds of things,” said Mark Frillman, a drug and alcohol abuse counselor who will attend the conference.
Continuing education on substance abuse is especially important right now.
Last summer, the American Psychological Association reported 13% of Americans began abusing substances or increasing use during the pandemic, with a spike in overdoses during this time.
RELATED: Pandemic brings challenges to addiction recovery
For more resources on substance abuse and how to get help, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website.
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