Description: Stigma is associated with negative and often fear-based perspectives and misunderstandings of people with mental health or substance use problems, or physical disabilities. Add layers of race and ethnicity, and you have racial stigma, referring to how people of diverse backgrounds are unfairly perceived and treated. The combined impact plays a major role in why many who would benefit from treatment do not seek care.
This interactive four-hour workshop will review how mitigating factors such as stress, discrimination, microaggressions and societal attributions influence racial stigma and differential prevention services. The intersecting challenges of social drivers of health and development of racial trauma in communities of color will also be explored. The content will offer bias-reducing strategies that help mitigate stigma and benefits of integrating culturally responsive care to help attain and retain highest levels of person-centered care for people of color and other marginalized communities.

Trainer: Diana Padilla, MCPC, CARC, CASAC-T,
is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC), and a member of the ASAP-NYCB Trainer Registry. As a cultural agent, Ms. Padilla promotes an equity lens in trainings for engaging diverse communities in need, aligning with evidence and strength-based strategies within behavioral health, addiction, prevention, and recovery supports fields and professional capacities.

Credits: This training meets the requirements for four renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and four initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses are granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offer reciprocity - please check with your accrediting agency.