"We are thrilled that this conference achieved such a high level of success in its first year. The quality of speakers and number of attendees certainly exceeded our expectations," said Doug Skrzyniarz, the School of Medicine's vice president of Government Affairs. "Thanks to Tom Watkins and his visionary leadership, we were able to create an event that shared clinical and academic breakthroughs in behavioral health and substance abuse treatment.  It also showed the power of collaboration by bringing together the Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority, Wayne State University, the VA and Michigan AHEC. By breaking down historical silos, we can be laser-focused on delivering the best care possible."