PAAP Annual Conference Focuses on Collaboration to Transform Addiction Treatment

The Pennsylvania Association of Addiction Professionals (PAAP), the local affiliate of NAADAC, The Association for Addictions Professionals, will host its 2025 Annual Conference on September 18, 2025, with the theme "Collaborations for Change." This hybrid event, available both in-person at the Radisson Philadelphia Northeast in Trevose, PA and via live-stream, represents a strategic response to the evolving behavioral health landscape.

Dr. Ken Martz, PAAP President and keynote speaker, emphasized the critical nature of collaboration in addiction treatment, stating, "Addiction is not just a disease of the brain. It's a disease of disconnection. Healing happens when we replace isolation with collaboration." This perspective underpins the conference's mission to break down professional silos and foster unified approaches to care.

The conference program includes comprehensive educational components designed to address current challenges in the field. The keynote session, "Unseen, Unheard, Untreated: A Disconnected System's Call for the Medicine of Connection," will set the tone for discussions on systemic improvements. Multiple skill-building workshops will cover emotional intelligence, clinical supervision, ethical decision-making, integrated care, and relapse education for families, providing practical tools for immediate application.

Specialty deep dives will address specific emerging needs, including tobacco and gambling disorder integration, stigma reduction, and culturally responsive care methodologies. Peer-driven dialogues will center lived experience and recovery wisdom, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives in shaping effective treatment approaches. All content is CE-eligible through NAADAC for addiction professionals seeking continuing education credits.

The timing of this conference is particularly significant given current pressures on behavioral health systems. Professionals face rising client acuity, workforce shortages, and increasing demands for trauma-informed, culturally competent, and integrative care approaches. Simultaneously, individuals and families affected by addiction seek more connected, hopeful pathways to recovery. The conference directly addresses these dual challenges by equipping professionals with both technical skills and renewed community connections.

Registration remains open through https://paaddictionprofessionals.org/registration-information-paap-annual-conference/, with discounts available for members and group registrations. The event welcomes diverse participants including clinicians, peer support specialists, supervisors, educators, system leaders, and individuals in long-term recovery, reflecting the inclusive, collaborative approach championed by the organizing association.

This gathering represents more than educational programming—it serves as a catalyst for systemic change in addiction treatment methodologies. By bringing together professionals across disciplines and experience levels, the conference fosters the cross-pollination of ideas and strategies necessary to address complex addiction challenges. The emphasis on collaboration signals a shift toward more integrated, person-centered care models that could significantly impact treatment outcomes across Pennsylvania and beyond.