NORWAY – It’s an educational conference, but it’s open to anyone who wants to learn more about alcoholism and drug addiction.

The day-long conference Friday, Dec. 5, at Stephens Memorial Hospital is the third annual, and will bring together state and local substance abuse professionals and representatives from 12-step recovery programs.

The featured speaker will be Bill Lowenstein, associate director of the Maine Office of Substance Abuse. A district court judge, John D. McElwee, will talk about the burden that drug and alcohol addiction places on the legal system.

Other scheduled speakers include: SMH trustee William Stockwell, who chairs the Maine Health and the Substance Abuse Services Committee; Susan Managan, a substance abuse counselor at Gateway Recovery Services, Ken McCullough of Community Concepts Inc., and Bruce Curran, director of the Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery.

There will also be a presentation about the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al Anon.

The conference, titled, Alcoholism and Drug Addiction: Disease, Treatment & Recovery Update No. 3, runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Harper Conference Center in the Ripley Medical Building next to Stephens Memorial Hospital.

Organizers welcome attendance from people in recovery and family members, social service workers, school guidance officers, educators, counselors, law enforcement, physicians, nurses and clergy.

Cost is $10 per person; lunch will be provided. Preregistration is required and forms are at Community Concepts and in the lobbies of Stephens Memorial Hospital and the Ripley Medical building.

For more information, phone Joan Churchill at Community Concepts at 743-7716, ext. 1317.

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