On Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7:45 a.m., Penn State Wilkes‑Barre will host its bi‑annual Executive Management Series. The topic will be “Substance Use and Misuse in our Communities.”

Widespread problems of substance use, misuse and disorder have gripped our nation and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. From the opioid crisis, evidenced by the shockingly fast increase in the number of lives lost to overdose in recent years, to the emerging epidemic of youth vaping, all indications are that Pennsylvania, and the nation, must take sweeping action.

Penn State recognized this call and responded with a decisive investment in mitigating these problems by creating the Consortium to Combat Substance Abuse (CCSA). Participants will learn how Penn State’s new consortium will fuel innovative, interdisciplinary and community-engaged research to understand issues of substance misuse and the development of new programs to intervene in all aspects of these problems. In addition, learn about Penn State’s current activities to address universal prevention of substance misuse and indicated treatment of substance use disorders, including using proven-effective medically assisted treatment (MAT) and our focus on special populations such as criminal justice-involved individuals.

Dale Jones, chancellor and chief academic officer of Penn State Wilkes-Barre, and guest speakers at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre will share and discuss the various challenges local businesses face due to substance misuse in the community. Breakfast will be served, and a Q&A session will follow. RSVP by Wednesday, Sept. 27 to Karen Gallia (570‑675‑9253 or wbce@outreach.psu.edu).

Guest speakers

Stephanie Lanza is a professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State, director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, and interim director of the University’s Consortium to Combat Substance Abuse (CCSA). Lanza joined Penn State in 2004 and has devoted her career to advancing research on the prevention of substance misuse. As interim director of CCSA since its launch in October 2018, she oversees 12 faculty searches, administers a seed grant program, has initiated a Community Fellows program, and has organized a conference that convened researchers, educators, policymakers, donors, and treatment providers to coordinate broad efforts to address systemic problems of substance use in Pennsylvania and nationally.

Jennifer Kraschnewski is associate professor of medicine, pediatrics, and public health sciences in the College of Medicine at Penn State. As a primary care physician and researcher, she focuses on helping people live healthier lifestyles outside of the clinical setting Kraschnewski is co-lead of Penn State’s Clinical Translational Science Institute Community-Engaged Research Core, which strives to ensure the voices of those impacted by research are part of the conversation. Her research also focuses on disseminating clinical knowledge beyond academic centers, through Project ECHO, which allows patients in all types of communities across Pennsylvania to receive care closer to home.

About the Executive Management Series

The Executive Management Series is offered by Continuing Education at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The series is scheduled biannually in the spring and fall to address a variety of pressing issues of importance to the community’s business leaders. Topics addressed since the series’ premier in 1999 have included recruitment and retention challenges, e‑commerce issues, marketing trends, and leadership in difficult times. The Executive Management Series also introduces participants to Penn State resources. These resources can assist in further addressing problems organizations may be experiencing related to the topics of discussion in the series.

This story originally appeared in Penn State News.