Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a renowned not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts, is pleased to announce the launch of its new business offering, Spectrum Education, Training and Consulting which provides a wide range of customized training and technical assistance services for organizations looking to develop their internal capacity through staff development or new program implementation.
“For 48 years, Spectrum has provided a variety of training and technical assistance services,” explained President and CEO Kurt Isaacson. “These efforts have always been very well-received. As a result, our expertise is often sought by other treatment providers, community agencies and public partners. We’re excited to be taking that initiative a step further with a formal program to benefit partners and ultimately citizens in need.”
With this new offering, Spectrum’s consulting group is available to provide education and training services to private providers and public-sector agencies, including half-day, full-day and multi-day training options. Experienced instructors offer a wide range of training services including didactic, interactive presentations, experiential and skill-building exercises, observation and technical assistance. All training services are customized to the needs of agency personnel.
Spectrum’s capacity-building work has evolved over time, borne from its ongoing desire and commitment to advancing the field of addiction treatment. Headed by Romas Buivydas, Ph.D., LMHC and Vice President of Clinical Development, Spectrum Education, Training and Consulting seeks to further this mission by leveraging the organization’s extensive experience and expertise in addiction treatment to provide training and technical assistance.
“Based on the project scope and area of expertise required, we’re able to tap into an impressive consulting team comprised of senior staff offering a wealth of practical experience,” explained Dr. Buivydas. “We also have additional internal capacity and expertise beyond the consulting team which can be accessed as needed, and we’re able to partner with other experts in the field to offer collaborative training opportunities.”
Dr. Buivydas has more than 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field. As Spectrum’s Vice President of Clinical Development, he oversees the organization’s comprehensive staff training and professional development programs. Dr. Buivydas has provided consultation to numerous behavioral health organizations, trained medical and psychiatric staff at UMass Medical Center and regularly presents at conferences and symposia across the country.
Since 2010, Spectrum has sponsored a number of nationally-attended professional conferences, which focused on the unique treatment needs of women, men and veterans. These conferences served as a platform for highly recognized subject matter experts to disseminate best practices on contemporary topics in the behavioral sciences. In addition, the experts provided practitioners and local leaders the opportunity to showcase innovative programs.
Spectrum also offers monthly, half-day trainings at Clark University for addiction treatment professionals seeking development opportunities and continuing education credits. An annual training calendar is published with different training topics offered by experts in the field each month. This year’s topics include Motivational Enhancement Using the Brief Negotiated Interview, Co-Occurring Disorders, Culturally Responsive Addiction Treatment with the LGBTQ Community, Antisocial Personality and other Personality Disorders and Utilizing DBT Skills in Safety Planning, Current Trends in Medication-Assisted Treatment.
In addition to these monthly training sessions, Dr. Buivydas offers a five-day training for professionals on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This intensive training provides clinicians with the basic knowledge and skills needed to use EMDR safely and effectively with clients impacted by physical and mental trauma.
For more information, contact Dr. Buivydas at (774) 670-4600 or romas.buivydas@spectrumhealthsystems.org.
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About Spectrum Health Systems, Inc.
Founded in 1969, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc. is a private, non-profit substance abuse and mental health treatment provider serving more than 80,000 individuals each year. Spectrum offers specialized programs for at-risk youth, young adults, men, women, criminal offenders and individuals with co-occurring disorders. In addition to its award-winning staff development program, Spectrum is a regular presenter at professional conferences and has provided a range of training services to private providers and public purchasers throughout the country.
