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ForwardSeptember 15, 2026 Screening with Purpose: Engaging Women, Youth & Older Adults in Alcohol Conversations
This is a live, virtual activity.
Join us for this 8-part lecture series featuring topics chosen by your peers. This series is intended to increase your comfort and confidence in talking to patients about alcohol and in offering them support, solutions and treatment while supporting you in holding difficult conversations. Let’s grow together over lunch.
Session 4: Screening with Purpose: Engaging Women, Youth, and Older Adults in Alcohol Conversations
Speaker: Brendan Prast, MD, MPH and Denise OConnell, MSW, LCSW, CCM
Target Audience
This activity is intended for any healthcare professional interested in talking to patients about alcohol use.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish between the various treatment options for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and unhealthy alcohol use (UAU).
- Identify special populations at risk for AUD
- Examine the value of a learning orientation to improve practice
- Describe steps to be taken to prepare for difficult conversations with patients
Additional Information
 | Denise O'Connell, MSW, LCSW, CCM - Course Co-DirectorDenise O’Connell, MSW, LCSW, CCM is the Associate Director of the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine, a program of Massachusetts General Hospital and the Peter L. Slavin, MD Academy for Applied Learning in Health Care. With decades of experience practicing with and leading healthcare teams across care settings, for the past 15 years, Denise has specialized in coaching teams on integrating evidence-based approaches to alcohol screening and intervention through online learning and a review of practice support tools. She has also served as field advisor for social work students. She is a licensed clinical social worker and Certified Case Manager. Denise is a recognized presenter at national, regional, and local forums and a co-author of scholarly publications related to health education and program outcomes. She is a member of The Maine Nurse Action Coalition, two statewide alcohol prevention workgroups, and serves on the board of Unlimited Solutions. |
 | Brendan Prast, MD, MPHBrendan Prast is a Family and Preventive Medicine physician at MaineHealth Primary Care in Sanford, Maine, and faculty at MaineHealth Institute for Research. He is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine for Tufts University School of Medicine and the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and completed his family medicine residency and general preventive medicine fellowship at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center. In addition, he completed a Masters of Public Health at the University of New England. His career interests include substance use disorders, immigrant healthcare, and population-based research. |
In support of improving patient care, Mass General Brigham is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Designation Statements
AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM
Mass General Brigham designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 1.00 Participation