Objective:
To increase awareness and clinical understanding of the intersection between neurodivergence, substance use disorders (SUD), and co-occurring mental health conditions, while equipping behavioral health outreach representatives with practical, trauma-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming strategies to improve engagement, screening, referral, and support outcomes.
Learning Goals
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
Describe how neurodivergent traits (e.g., ADHD, autism, learning differences) may influence vulnerability to substance use and other mental health challenges.
Recognize common pathways to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.
Understand barriers to treatment access and retention for neurodivergent individuals.
Apply neurodiversity-affirming and harm-reduction-informed outreach strategies.
Identify referral considerations for co-occurring conditions.
OUR PANELISTS:
Cale Dunlap - Campus Director Brightmont Academy Broomfield
Amanda Wallace - Speech Language Pathologist
Joan Godbolt, LPC - Owner, Therapist Seeds of Strength Counseling
Lisa Cramer, MA Clinical Psychology, LPC, BCN, Licensed QEEG-D, Owner/Director- Mind Body Neuro
Megahn Bonde - Neurodivergent speaker coach, Neuro-inclusive learning and development experience designer, Tedx speaker - Intensity Hub
