2nd Annual Breaking Barriers: Conference on Overdose Awareness

Join us for a powerful day of stories, collaboration, and action to break stigma and advance overdose prevention and recovery.
About this Event

Join L.A. CADA for the 2nd Annual Breaking Barriers: Conference on Overdose Awareness, a powerful one-day convening dedicated to addressing the ongoing overdose crisis through collaboration, innovation, and equity.

Held in recognition of National Recovery Month, this conference will bring together public health leaders, healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, advocates, and community members committed to saving lives and strengthening systems of care.

Participants will engage in thought-provoking keynote discussions, peer-informed breakout sessions, and cross-sector dialogue focused on evidence-based prevention strategies, advancements in harm reduction, integrated behavioral health care, and community-driven solutions.

Building on the success of our inaugural conference, the 2026 event expands in both scale and impact, creating a solutions-focused platform that elevates lived experience, shares emerging best practices, and advances equitable access to prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.

Together, we will work to break down stigma, strengthen partnerships, and advance coordinated responses to the overdose crisis while supporting healthier, more resilient communities.

**FREE profesional headshots will be offered at this event

Agenda

🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration and Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:10 AM
Opening Remarks
Host: Juan Navarro, CEO (L.A. CADA)
🕑: 09:10 AM - 09:40 AM
Opening Keynote
Host: Dr. Burns (SAPC)
🕑: 09:40 AM - 10:10 AM
Sponsor Recognition & Highlights
🕑: 10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
Health Equity and Access
Host: Dr. Brash (Azusa Pacific University)
🕑: 10:40 AM - 11:10 AM
Morning Break
🕑: 11:10 AM - 11:45 AM
Interview with Coach Mike
Host: Mike Bayer aka Coach Mike Bayer & Tony Directs
🕑: 11:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Honorarium Recognition
Host: Bill Tarkanian, CSO (L.A. CADA)
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:00 PM - 01:45 PM
"Stories of Lived Experience" - Alumni Panel 
🕑: 01:45 PM - 02:00 PM
Afternoon Break
🕑: 02:00 PM - 02:30 PM
The Biology of Trauma
Host: Dr. Aimie Apigian
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Host: Bill Tarkanian, CSO (L.A. CADA)
🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Resource Fair