Shreveport Reporter

Shreveport, LA – LSU Shreveport Continuing Education is offering a new medical cannabis training workshop for counselors on February 2, 2023, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. This in-person interactive workshop will train counselors and mental health professionals on the latest medical cannabis information so they can guide patients on treatment options and earn eight CRCC professional development hours.

“The swift pace of passed Louisiana legislation in 2022 is leaving counselors and other mental health professionals unprepared to support clients who choose to treat with marijuana, making this a priority for education and training,” said Michael D. Becerra, Ph.D., LPC, CPCS, CRC, Assistant Professor – Counseling, Department of Psychology at LSUS.

A past study found that allied health trainees lacked sufficient knowledge and were not prepared to counsel patients on medical cannabis. Training counselors and mental health professionals to become educated resources for medial cannabis information can help promote client benefits and knowledge needed to attain health and wellness goals.

The workshop and certificate include recorded interviews with local industry leaders and cannabis specialists who will share their experiences. The one-day workshop will cover the following four sections for counselors: the history of cannabis and the war on drugs, medical cannabis science and therapeutic use, cannabis law, business, and the workplace, and case studies and practical applications.

Understanding Medical Cannabis in Louisiana: An Introduction for CounselorsWorkshop. The passage of Louisiana House Bill 819 makes medical marijuana available to those with any debilitating condition as deemed by a physician. Counselors and other mental health professionals are unprepared to support clients who choose to treat with marijuana, making this a priority for education and training. Counselors are encouraged to learn more about the failure of the war on drugs and the lasting effects on people of color, as well as evidence-based medical cannabis science and therapeutic uses, workplace discrimination and concerns, and the signs of cannabis impairment, abuse, and dependence to better understand clients and their treatment of choice. This introductory workshop is interactive and broken into four sections, including interviews with local industry leaders, state legislators, and cannabis specialists who share their experiences and expertise on the evolution of medical marijuana in Louisiana. Ethics will be addressed through case studies and practical applications to help support the professional competency of counselors. 

The medical cannabis workshop is on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at LSU Shreveport. Counselors will earn eight CRCC professional development hours. LSUHS Students will need to call in to register at 318-798-4177 to get the student price of $49.00. Register by 1/27/23 to get the early bird price of $99.00. After that date the cost will be $129.00. Learners may sign up at: https://www.ce.lsus.edu/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=578.

Original source can be found here.