National Addiction Expert Guest Speaker for Online Presentation March 9 at USM
Mon, 03/06/2023 - 04:09pm | By: David Tisdale
Dr. John Kelly, a nationally recognized expert on substance use and addictions, will
be the guest speaker for an online talk, titled “Deconstructing Stigma: Drugs, Treatment,
and Policy” to be presented Thursday, March 9 at 4 p.m. on The University of Southern
Mississippi (USM) Hattiesburg campus in Owings-McQuagge Hall, room 227. Admission
is free and members of the University and local communities are invited.
This event will be presented by the USM Shatterproof Student Association (SSA) and
the School of Psychology. The SSA is a group of USM students devoted to combating
the stigma of substance use disorder (addiction) through peer-based education and
takes its lead from the national organization, Shatterproof, whose mission is to reverse the addiction crisis in the U.S. by transforming addiction
treatment, ending addiction stigma and empowering and educating communities.
Dr. Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard University Medical School. With more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books in the field of addiction medicine, his work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process, mechanisms of behavior change, and reducing stigma and discrimination among individuals suffering from addiction.
“Dr. Kelly is a leading addiction psychologist and one of the most prominent researchers to address addiction stigma,” said Dr. Michael Madson, professor of psychology at USM and advisor to SSA. “We’re thrilled to have him make this virtual presentation for us and attendees of his talk.”
In addition to his work at Harvard, Dr. Kelly is the director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the associate director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH, and the program director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service. A former president of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, he is also a fellow of the APA and a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Kelly has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and non-federal institutions, as well as foreign governments and the United Nations.
“The SSA is really looking forward to Dr. Kelly’s presentation,” said Sophie Denton, a junior psychology major from Meridian, Mississippi, and president of USM SSA. “Stigma is an important topic that needs increased awareness, so we welcome students and other members of the campus and local communities to join us for this important talk to learn more.”
For questions or more information about this event, contact Denton at sophie.dentonFREEMississippi or Dr. Madson at michael.madsonFREEMississippi. For information about the USM School of Psychology, which is housed in the College of Education and Human Sciences, visit usm.edu/psychology.