Friday, April 24th, 2026
2026 PA Pain & Addiction Summit
Wilkes University
During this full-day conference, medical, legal, and law enforcement professionals will discuss the current state of the opioid crisis, share methodology and inter-professional approaches to deal with critical issues, and identify opportunities to approach the treatment of pain and substance abuse.
COST: $140 whole day (6 hours of CE), $80 half day (3 hours of CE)
Time & Location
Friday, April 24th - 8 am to 5 pm
Wilkes University, Stark Learning Center
84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766
About the Event
In partnership with Wilkes University, we are proud to again host the 2026 Pennsylvania Pain & Addiction Summit.
Continuing education hours will be provided.
Keynote Speaker
Kevin E. Bigler, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
The presentation will include an update on the opioid crisis and other drug trends, an overview of relevant updates from DEA’s Diversion Control Program (DCP), and conclude with a review of recent DEA enforcement actions and investigations with a focus on identifying common diversion themes.
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Kevin E. Bigler is the Diversion Group Supervisor for the DEA Allentown & Scranton Resident Offices.
Click "More Information" for learning objectives and speaker's bio.
Schedule
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7-8 AM – Registration & Breakfast
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8-9 a.m. – Luzerne County Treatment Court​
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Moderator: Judge Joseph Sklarosky, Jr.
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9-9:15 a.m. — Break
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9:15-10:15 a.m. – Breakout Sessions
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How to Survive a DEA Inspection – Compliance by Prescribers and Pharmacists - James R. Schiffer RPh, Esq. and Carlos Aquino
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Communication Strategies for Safe Opioid Tapering and Discontinuation - Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
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Substance Use Disorder Risk Assessment (SUDRA) - Karen Arscott, DO and Brian Piper, PhD
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10:15-10:30 a.m. – Break
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10:30-11:30 a.m. – Breakout Sessions
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Building Pathways to Recovery: The Wright Center’s Center of Excellence for Opiate Use Disorder and Integrated Recovery Services - Scott Constantini
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Artificial Intelligence in Pain and Addiction Treatment: Evidence, Applications, and Clinical Integration - Gina Harrison, DNP & Eugene Lucas, DNP
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Pain and Family Heirlooms: Emotional Objects, Monetary Value, and Hoarding - Lori Verderame, PhD
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11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Lunch and Keynote Speaker (no CE given)
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TBA
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12:30-12:45 p.m. – Break
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12:45-1:45 p.m. - Breakout Sessions
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Medical Complications of Buprenorphine Therapy - Donna Eget, DO
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MED Talks: Patient-Friendly Strategies for Difficult Conversations in Pain and Opioid Use Disorder - Nicholas Field, PharmD and Brittany Henault, PharmD
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Addressing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in Rural Communities - Maria Kolcharno, MSW, LSW & Marcella Bicksler, MBA
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1:45-2 p.m. - Break
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2-3 p.m. - Breakout Sessions
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The Effects of Addiction and Drug Diversion within the Medical Profession - Lisa Langan, RN
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Building a Searchable Knowledge-base of Medical Marijuana Effects: Integrating Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Trial Evidence - William McLaughlin, PhD
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Words That Heal: Patient-Friendly Communication in Pain and Substance Use Disorder - Gina Harrison, DNP & Nicole E. Middleton, PhD
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3-4 p.m. – The Other Side of the Opioid Epidemic: The Crisis of Untreated Pain and Unrelieved Suffering - Kaylin Bower, Pain Patient and Advocate
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The presentation will tell “the other side” of the alleged prescription opioid epidemic from the perspective of a pain patient and advocate. It will incorporate both narrative and research/statistics components and challenge listeners to consider whether the current “war” on opioid analgesics is supported and justified by current evidence and whether it is doing more harm than good or good than harm. It will incorporate the following sub-topics: harm reduction; the Iron Law of Prohibition; the grouping together of pain patients with individuals with OUD; and statistical conundrums such as why opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed as RX opioid prescribing rates have decreased drastically.
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4-5 p.m. – Networking Reception with Speakers (no CE given)
This program is supported by an educational grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation.