Pain and Addiction Summit

Friday, April 24 | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wilkes University

The Pennsylvania Pain and Addiction Summit, now in its eighth year, brings professionals together for a day of sharing expertise and learning from each other about opportunities to approach the treatment of pain and substance use disorder.

REGISTER FOR THE 2026 SUMMIT external website

Keynote Speaker

TBA

This section will be updated soon with details on the keynote speaker.

About the Conference

During this full-day conference, medical, legal, and law enforcement professionals will discuss the current state of the opioid crisis, share methodology and inter-professional approaches to deal with critical issues, and identify opportunities to approach the treatment of pain and substance abuse. Continuing education hours will be provided for attorneys, counselors. dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists,  physicians, registered nurses and social workers.

  • DATE: Friday, April 24
  • LOCATION: Wilkes University, Stark Learning Center (parking on the Wilkes University campus, details will be emailed closer to event)
  • COST: $140 whole day (6 hours of CE), $80 half day (3 hours of CE)

Schedule

  • 7-8 AM – Registration & Breakfast
  • 8-9 a.m. – Luzerne County Treatment Court 
    • Moderator: Judge Joseph Sklarosky, Jr.
  • 9-9:15 a.m. — Break
  • 9:15-10:15 a.m. – Breakout Sessions
    • How to Survive a DEA Inspection – Compliance by prescribers and pharmacists
      • Speakers: James R. Schiffer RPh, Esq. and Carlos Aquino
    • Communication Strategies for Safe Opioid Tapering and Discontinuation
      • Speaker: Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP 
    • Substance Use Disorder Risk Assessment (SUDRA)
      • Speakers: Karen Arscott, DO and Brian Piper, PhD
  • 10:15-10:30 a.m. – Break
  • 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Breakout Sessions
    • Building Pathways to Recovery: The Wright Center’s Center of Excellence for Opiate Use Disorder and Integrated Recovery Services
      • Speaker: Scott Constantini
    • Artificial Intelligence in Pain and Addiction Treatment: Evidence, Applications, and ClinicalIntegration
      • Speakers: Gina Harrison, DNP & Eugene Lucas, DNP
    • Pain and Family Heirlooms: Emotional Objects, Monetary Value, and Hoarding
      • Speaker: Lori Verderame, PhD
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Lunch and Keynote Speaker (no CE given)
    • Speaker: TBA
    • Details of the keynote session will be released soon
  • 12:30-12:45 p.m. – Break
  • 12:45-1:45 p.m. - Breakout Sessions
    • From cavities to constipation: managing medical issues associated with MOUD treatment
      • Speaker: Donna Eget, DO
    • MED Talks: Patient-Friendly Strategies for Difficult Conversations in Pain and Opioid Use Disorder
      • Speakers: Nicholas Field, PharmD and Brittany Henault, PharmD
    • Addressing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in Rural Communities
      • Speakers: Maria Kolcharno, MSW, LSW & Marcella Bicksler, MBA
  • 1:45-2 p.m. - Break
  • 2-3 p.m. - Breakout Sessions
    • The Effects of Addiction and Drug Diversion within the Medical Profession
      • Speaker: Lisa Langan, RN
    • Building a Searchable Knowledgebase of Medical Marijuana Effects: Integrating Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Trial Evidence
      • Speaker: William McLaughlin, PhD
    • Words That Heal: Patient-Friendly Communication in Pain and Substance Use Disorder
      • Speakers: Gina Harrison, DNP & Nicole E. Middleton, PhD
  • 3-4 p.m. – The Other Side of the Opioid Epidemic: The Crisis of Untreated Pain and Unrelieved Suffering
    • Speaker: Kaylin Bower, Pain Patient and Advocate
    • The presentation will tell “the other side” of the alleged prescription opioid epidemic from the perspective of a pain patient and advocate. It will incorporate both narrative and research/statistics components and challenge listeners to consider whether the current “war” on opioid analgesics is supported and justified by current evidence and whether it is doing more harm than good or good than harm. It will incorporate the following sub-topics: harm reduction; the Iron Law of Prohibition; the grouping together of pain patients with individuals with OUD; and statistical conundrums such as why opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed as RX opioid prescribing rates have decreased drastically.
  • 4-5 p.m. – Networking Reception with Speakers (no CE given)

This program is supported by an educational grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation.

Accessibility

Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. Patrons requesting accommodations or services at Wilkes University or Wilkes University-sponsored events in accordance with The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III: Public Accommodations are asked to contact the Center for Continued Learning. It is recommended that requests be made at least five (5) business days prior to any event.

Nondiscrimination Policy Statement

The Center for Continued Learning
(570) 408-4460