Call for Workshops

Accepted workshops will be featured in a concurrent, in-person, interactive format. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.

Each workshop will be 90 minutes in length and offer interactive learning about a specific substance-use related topic. Workshops must focus on building specific skills in clinical practice, education, research, community action, or policy/advocacy. The most desirable workshop sessions will ask learners to practice or develop concrete skills or techniques during the course of the session and then bring those skills back to disseminate in their home communities. Workshop proposals from presenters trained in any discipline are welcome with preference given to multidisciplinary teams of presenters. Workshop proposals that plan to disseminate information in a lecture or panel format only will not be accepted.

In alignment with the 2026 conference theme, Stronger Together: Transforming Challenge into Opportunity in Substance Use Care, the AMERSA 2026 Workshop Review Committee encourages workshop proposal submissions that highlight collaborative, evidence-informed approaches to sustaining and strengthening substance use care amid evolving clinical, community, and systems-level challenges.

‘PEOPLE FIRST’ language is required. Examples of clinically accurate and non-stigmatizing terminology are provided in AMERSA’s Policy & Procedure for Professional Presentations which all facilitators will be asked to review and sign as part of the submission process.

Workshops facilitators will be assigned to present on either the afternoon of Friday, November 13 or Saturday, November 14. All co-presenters must be available to present on either day. We are unable to accommodate presenters' individual availability during scheduling. Please ensure that all listed co-presenters are aware of the scheduling requirements before submitting your proposal.

All applicants will be notified of review decisions by the first week of May. Special recognition will be given for the Best Workshop. Two facilitators of the “Best Workshop” award will receive free registration to attend the conference the following year when they will receive an award. 

Please direct workshop related questions to the Workshop Committee Co-Chairs, Jef Bratberg, PharmD at jefbratberg@uri.edu or text/call 401-419-6303 and Carol Boyd, PhD, RN, FIAAN, FAAN at caroboyd@med.umich.edu.

General Instructions

Please note that you must enter the first name, last name, degree, job title, institutional affiliation, institutional address, email, and mobile phone number for each proposed workshop facilitator. ALL facilitators will receive an automatically generated email with a link to complete a COI Disclosure Form and to upload a CV. Note that the workshop submission process cannot be completed until all of these documents have been submitted. Incomplete workshop submissions will not be reviewed after the deadline.

Facilitators will be automatically informed of the unique ID numbers and passwords assigned to their workshops. Workshops may be viewed and modified at any time between submission and the deadline, using the assigned ID# and password.

Below are the pieces of information needed to submit your workshop:

1. Workshop Title

2. Workshop Category: Research, Education, Clinical Practice, Community Action, Policy/Advocacy.

3. Audience

4. Background: Describe why the proposed workshop is important. Put the workshop in the context of current issues and trends, and include what relevant needs (educational, research, policy, practice) have been identified that this skill building workshop would address. You may not exceed 250 words.

5. Learning Objectives: List three learning objectives that identify skills to be developed through participation in the workshop session.

Key points when writing learning objectives:

1. 1. Use verbs that are action oriented and can be observed
   2. Use only one action verb per objective
   3. Focus on the learner outcome, not the instructor approach
   4. Be sure the objective can be measured within the time frame of the session
   5. Use objectives that relate to the content and the teaching method

6. Content and Methods: Describe the structure of the proposed workshop using a timeline. The timeline should specify how much time the presenters anticipate spending on each subsection of the workshop, how each section relates to one or more of the stated learning objectives, and the teaching methods that will be employed. Please remember that workshops should be participatory and emphasize skill building. You may not exceed 500 words.

7. Impact / Dissemination Potential: Describe the potential impact of the proposed workshop after the meeting (i.e., how the materials may be implemented or disseminated in participants’ home settings and among which individuals or groups). You may not exceed 200 words.

8. CV for Each Presenter: You will be required to upload a CV (or resume) for each presenter before submitting your proposal.

Workshop Proposal Evaluation Criteria

Workshops submitted for consideration for presentation at the AMERSA conference are anonymized and evaluated by a team of multidisciplinary reviewers via a 10-point rubric. The evaluation criteria is briefly outlined below. 

Scholarship Awards:
If your workshop is accepted, please be aware that all facilitators will be responsible for paying the full cost of conference registration to attend and present. If financial assistance is required to attend, conference scholarship award applications must be submitted by the May 17 deadline. AMERSA is unable to consider requests for financial assistance received after this deadline. All facilitators must register for the conference when registration opens in June. Registration spots will not automatically be reserved for presenters.