Partner Event | Education Service Center (ESC) Region 8
2026-08-07
Phoenix House Texas is grateful to be partnering with Education Service Center (ESC) Region 8 in Pittsburgh, Texas where PHT’s CEO, Drew Dutton, M.Ed., MBA, MAPP, LPC-S, LCDC, ACPS, will be presenting Project Empathy.
Project Empathy is a research-informed, interactive workshop that reframes adolescent addiction through the lens of neuroscience, development, and connection. The session breaks down how the teenage brain processes reward, stress, and decision-making—offering a clear explanation for why adolescents are uniquely wired for risk, bonding, and rapid learning. Participants explore how dopamine, impulse control, and prefrontal cortex development influence substance use patterns and recovery potential. Instead of relying on fear-based or punitive strategies, the workshop demonstrates how empathy and strengths-based communication interrupt shame and increase buy-in. Attendees learn practical ways to use accurate empathy, clarity, and modeling to keep adolescents engaged, even when they appear resistant or ambivalent. The session also challenges common misconceptions in youth treatment, highlighting how outdated models can unintentionally reinforce stigma and shut down communication. Real examples illustrate how to translate brain science into conversations that parents, schools, and youth can actually understand. By the end, participants will have a developmentally informed framework for supporting adolescents that emphasizes possibility, relationship, and long-term resilience.

Partner Event | 17th Annual Community Drug Awareness Day Conference 2026
2026-08-07 09:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Houston Community College – West Loop Center, 5601 West Loop South Freeway, Houston, TX, 77081, United States
The HHCODP Committee presents the 17th Annual Community Drug Awareness Day Conference – Navigating the Changing Landscape of Behavioral Health. This event is a free, one-day educational event in Houston. It unites behavioral health professionals, public health officials, and community advocates to address local substance abuse and mental health issues.
Event Details

Date: Friday, August 7, 2026
Time: 9 AM – 3:30 PM
Location: Houston Community College – West Loop Center 5601 West Loop South Freeway Houston, TX 77081

Please join us for an eventful agenda of topics and issues impacting the Greater Houston Area, including:

Keynote – Ryan Kennedy Bailey, APA Associated Press
Project H.E.A.L Houston Project – Dr. Katrina Gary Forte & Dr. Dashiel Geyen, HCC Public and Behavioral Health
Adolescent Vaping and Addiction – Dr. Edore Onigu-Otite, Baylor College Medicine
Policy Updates & Advocacy – Sherri Layton, La Hacienda TAAP, NAADAC
Current Drug Trends – B. Jamie Vasquez, Associate Lab. Director

Please visit the eventbrite page to register.
