Registration Open for Harford County’s 2026 Symposium on Addiction & Recovery

Registration is now open to attend Harford County’s 2026 Symposium on Addiction and Recovery, a day-long event focused on connecting people, services and solutions to effect positive changes within the recovery community. It will be held on September 25 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Mountain Christian Church, 1802 Mountain Road in Joppa.

"Addressing addiction requires a united community effort, and we must remain committed to confronting this challenge together," County Executive Bob Cassilly said. "This event brings resources together, providing an opportunity to support recovery through education, collaboration, and a shared commitment to strengthening our response to addiction."

This year’s symposium will feature a keynote speaker, a variety of workshops, and a panel discussion. Eligible attendees will receive continuing education credits (CEUs) upon completion of the day’s events.

Christina Dent will be the keynote speaker. She is an author, TEDx speaker and founder of End It For Good, a non-profit helping children, families and communities by using a health-centered approach to drugs and addiction that prioritizes life and the opportunity to thrive.

Workshops will include the following: Men and Substance Misuse: Targeted Approaches and Effective Strategies with Jon Gilgoff, PhD, MSW of the University of Maryland; Messages That Work: Essential Advocacy Tools for Addiction & Recovery Tools with Don Mathis of Voices of Hope; The Power of Healing Through Family Engagement with Jessica Dinbokowitz and Kisha Taylor of Ashely Addiction Treatment; Burnout in the Workplace - Prevention & Management with Alexander Chan, Ph.D., LCMPT of the University of Maryland Extension; The Comeback > The Setback: The Power of Story in Recovery with Amy Spinks of Flourish & Bloom Coaching; Barriers to Black Male Graduation in K-12 Education with Terrone J. Hill of Harford Community College; Precision Addiction Treatment: Connecting Data, Research, and Care to Improve Engagement and Recovery Outcomes with Dr. Wendy Insalaco and Jami Barney of Ashley Addiction Treatment; Change Your Thinking with Maria Pounds of the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy; Communities United: Developing a Partnership-Focused Response to Emerging Drug Threats with Lauren Levy of the Harford County Health Department, Erin Wright of Voices of Hope, and Mike Massuli of the Cecil County Health Department; Prevention Advocacy in Action: Building a Proactive Public Health Movement with Dr. Shaya, Rana Karslioglu, and Nicole Sealfron of the Maryland School of Pharmacy.

The afternoon plenary will feature a panel consisting of the Opioid Restitution Fund award recipients.

Additionally, the Core Trailer and Hope House will be on site for touring. These mobile educational tools were created through a partnership between Harford County Government and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies to show the warning signs of controlled substance use and provide interactive learning scenarios.

This year’s symposium is FREE, but registration is required. Visit harfordcountymd.gov/Symposium to register and for additional event information.

The mission of Harford’s annual symposium is to educate the public and professionals on issues surrounding drug and alcohol abuse, intervention, prevention and treatment. Continuing education credits in the fields of prevention, addictions and social work are authorized for professionals upon completion of the day’s events.

For more information on drug control programs and trainings in Harford County, contact the Harford County Department of Housing & Community Services’ Office of Drug Control Policy at 410-638-3333 orharfordcountymd.gov/services/drugcontrol