Connect & Learn Webinar

Friday 8th August 2025 – online from 1pm to 1:45pm

This webinar is only available to staff who are working in a Victorian Department of Health (DH) funded AOD organisation.

This presentation situates cognitive impairment as a key factor to be considered within the AOD sector. Practical strategies are offered to support clinicians in (a) identifying clients who may be experiencing cognitive difficulties, (b) recognizing risk factors for acquired brain injury, and (c) adapting clinical practice to support clients, with a view to optimizing treatment engagement and retention.

Objectives:

• Learn how to recognize, identify, and screen for cognitive impairment;

• Develop an understanding of factors that may contribute to cognitive impairment in SUD, including risk factors for acquired brain injury;

• Consider practical, evidence-based compensatory strategies to adapt clinical practice to support clients with cognitive impairment;

• Where indicated, understand referral processes for, and optimal timing of, neuropsychology assessment at Turning Point

Georgia Bolt is a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist working at Turning Point and Austin Health providing neuropsychological assessment and consultation for adults with a range of co-occurring neurodevelopmental, neurological, medical, mental health, substance-related, and neurodegenerative conditions within acute inpatient and community outpatient settings.

She works collaboratively with clients/consumers, their supporters, and other multi-disciplinary clinicians across the healthcare sector to inform comprehensive formulations, differential diagnosis, and guide future management, including addressing cognitive, behaviour, and decision-making capacity related issues, and, where indicated, supporting clients/consumers to access disability supports.

Georgia is also completing a PhD at Turning Point Eastern Health Clinical School/Monash University investigating a novel personalised mHealth cognitive intervention for middle-older adults drinking at harmful/hazardous levels in the community. She has authored academic manuscripts and co-authored a book chapter on Cognitive Assessment, Management and Training in AOD settings, presenting at national and international conferences.

Connect & Learn webinar series address a wide range of practice-relevant topics presented by local expert clinicians. The webinars aim to enhance the capabilities of Victorian AOD and MH workers in responding to substance use and addiction issues among their clients and consumers.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This webinar is only available to staff who are working in a Victorian Department of Health (DH) funded AOD organisation – your ticket will be cancelled if you don’t work for a Vic DH funded organisation.