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2026 IDEA Symposium – Issues of Substance: Addiction and Recovery
April 10 @ 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
About the Symposium
Substance abuse—from alcohol to opioids to “hard drugs”—is an issue that affects all communities, and Spalding County is no different. Too often, the drug users themselves are identified as the community’s problem—to be punished, hidden, or driven out. However, such responses do little to help. It is only by helping addicts that we can truly help communities.
In recognition of the prevalence and importance of this issue, the theme of this year’s IDEA Symposium is Issues of Substance: Addiction and Recovery. At this professional learning conference presented by the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, attendees will hear from medical professionals, social workers, first responders, veterans, and other community members who have deep personal experience with the causes and impacts of substance abuse—and what all of us can do to help.
The IDEA Symposium, which will be held on Friday, April 10th, 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM in the Student Learning Center on the UGA Griffin Campus, is free and open to the public, but registration for the symposium is REQUIRED.
Agenda
| Time | Session | Topic | Speaker(s) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30–8:45 AM | Check-in / Registration | Student Learning Center (SLC) – Lobby | ||
| 8:45–9:00 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks | Ms. Faye Chatman, Program Director, Franklin College of Arts & Sciences at UGA – Griffin Dr. Jeffery Dean, Asst. Provost and Director of the UGA Griffin Campus | SLC Room 104 | |
| 9:00–9:20 AM | Just the Facts | Mr. John Cruickshank, Librarian, UGA Griffin Campus | SLC Room 104 | |
| 9:20–9:40 AM | Out of Sight, Out of Mind | Hidden Populations | Ms. Hannah Owens, AB in Interdisciplinary Studies – Sociology Major | SLC Room 104 |
| Hidden by COVID | Mr. Anthony DeCesare, BS in Microbiology & BS in Psychology (Neuroscience Emphasis) Major | SLC Room 104 | ||
| Hidden Dangers | Mr. Dave Boddie, AB in Interdisciplinary Studies – Sociology Major | SLC Room 104 | ||
| 9:40–10:10 AM | Break-out Session | Recovery is Real | Ms. Jennifer Hughes, Burke Center Program Manager, McIntosh Trail Community Service Board | SLC Room 105 |
| A Day in the ER | Dr. J’Lynn Lewis, Emergency Medicine Resident, Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Mr. Hunter Stubbs, NRP (Nationally Registered Paramedic), Upson Regional Medical Center, and Deputy Coroner, Upson County | SLC Room 115 | ||
| 10:10–10:20 AM | Break | |||
| 10:20–10:50 AM | Break-out Session | Recovery is Real | Ms. Jennifer Hughes, Burke Center Program Manager, McIntosh Trail Community Service Board | SLC Room 105 |
| A Day in the ER | Dr. J’Lynn Lewis, Emergency Medicine Resident, Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Mr. Hunter Stubbs, NRP (Nationally Registered Paramedic), Upson Regional Medical Center, and Deputy Coroner, Upson County | SLC Room 115 | ||
| 10:50–11:20 AM | Break-out Session | After the Battle | Mr. Alex George, Sergeant First Class, US Army (Ret) Staff Sergeant Jonathan Wolff, US Army | SLC Room 105 |
| In the Field | Mr. Mike Byrd, Deputy Chief of Operations, Spalding County Fire Department Ms. Septima Hutchinson, Clinical Director, youthSpark | SLC Room 115 | ||
| 11:20–11:30 AM | Break | |||
| 11:30–12:00 PM | Break-out Session | After the Battle | Mr. Alex George, Sergeant First Class, US Army (Ret) Staff Sergeant Jonathan Wolff, US Army | SLC Room 105 |
| In the Field | Mr. Mike Byrd, Deputy Chief of Operations, Spalding County Fire Department Ms. Septima Hutchinson, LCSW, Clinical Director, youthSpark | SLC Room 115 | ||
| 12:00–12:05 PM | Break | |||
| 12:05–12:25 PM | Keynote | Community Services Available to You | Ms. Holly Murray, City Commissioner, District 3, City of Griffin | SLC Room 104 |
| 12:25–12:50 PM | Close to Home: Personal Experiences | Ms. Madeline Choate, BS in Microbiology and BS in Psychology (Neuroscience Emphasis) Major Ms. Haley Robocker, AB in Interdisciplinary Studies – Psychology and BS in Psychology Major | SLC Room 104 | |
| 12:50–1:00 PM | The 27 Club | Dr. Perry Buffington, Principal Lecturer, Dept. of Psychology | SLC Room 104 | |
| 1:00–1:05 PM | Till Next Year | Dr. Matthew Peach, Lecturer, Dept. of Sociology Ms. Faye Chatman, Program Director, Franklin College of Arts & Sciences at UGA – Griffin | SLC Room 104 |