CCARTA - Trainers

Igor Koutsenok
Jana Cook
Fred Tent
Norman Jackson
Scot Lord
Scott McClure
Consultant Trainers


	Igor Koutsenok, MD, MS Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Center Director 858.551.2946 ikoutzenok@ucsd.edu

Igor Koutsenok, MD, MS, is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the UCSD School of Medicine, and Director of the Center for Criminality & Addiction Research, Training & Application (CCARTA). He graduated as a medical doctor in 1982 at the University in Kiev, School of Medicine (Ukraine). In 1990 he completed his psychiatry residency training and received degree as psychiatrist from the Medical University in Sofia (Bulgaria). In 1994-1996 he worked at the University of London, Department of Addictive Behavior and Psychological Medicine at St. Georges Hospital Medical School, where he received a Masters Degree in Addictive Behavior. During that time Dr. Koutsenok was involved in the development of substance abuse treatment programs for Her Majesty Prison Services in the UK. Before joining CCARTA, he worked in Bulgaria as Head of Department at the National Center for Addictions and Deputy Director of the Institute of Psychology. During the last 20 years, he served as an expert for many international organizations such as the Council of Europe, European Union, and the United Nations.

In 1997, Dr. Koutsenok was recruited by the UCSD Department of Psychiatry. His responsibilities include curriculum development and training on substance abuse and addiction treatment issues for a large variety of professionals involved in dealing with substance abusing offenders. Dr. Koutsenok led the design and implementation of the Workforce Development Training series for substance abuse counselors and criminal justice professionals working in custody and community-based treatment programs in California. He is the UCSD FACT (Forensic Addiction Treatment Certification) Board of Education Director and Director of the Offender Substance Abuse Treatment Institute. Dr. Koutsenok is one of the trainers for the National Drug Court Institute, providing training and education for judges and members of the judicial system nationwide. Recently, Dr. Igor Koutsenok and Dr. David Deitch designed an innovative approach to reduce recidivism in parolees, which in 2006 was presented to and authorized by the California legislature as Senate Bill 618 – Offender Re-Entry Program.

He has authored and co-authored over 30 scientific publications and book chapters, such as “Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook” 4th edition, 2004, and “Treatment of Drug Offenders”, 2005. He has been invited as guest speaker to numerous conferences and professional gatherings nationwide and in more than 15 countries.


	Jana Cook, MD, PhD Assistant Project Scientist 858.551.6673 jacook@ucsd.edu

Jana Cook, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Project Scientist in the Department of Psychiatry at UCSD, CCARTA. She graduated from the Medical School at the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. Her training is in adult general psychiatry, with a postgraduate specialization in substance abuse treatment and in forensic psychiatry. Jana has worked closely with the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic as certified expert witness in the field of medicine, branch of psychiatry. Her PhD work was focused on the treatment of heroin addiction. Before coming to the US in 2006, Jana worked as assistant professor of psychiatry at the University Hospital of Bratislava. She worked at the psychiatric emergency unit and supervised a department for addiction disorders and psycho-reactive states. Jana represents the Slovak Psychiatric Association within the World Council of Young Psychiatrists and is an active member of the World Association of Young Psychiatrists and Trainees. She has been elected as a member of the Committee for Protection of Public Order of City Council of the Capital of SR Bratislava and has been active in the community promoting mental health. She has experience in working with the Council of Europe and the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction as a consultant.


	Fred Tent Senior Learning Skills Counselor 858.551.2951 ftent@ucsd.edu

Fred Tent has over 36 years experience in the Therapeutic Community model of substance abuse treatment, with 16 years experience working with in‐prison Therapeutic Communities throughout the world. A Protégé of Charles E. Dederich, he attended to all innovative aspects of therapeutic communities, focusing on ways of improving facilitation of change for people with histories of criminality and substance abuse. He is certified in Psychodrama from Dr. Lewis Yablonsky. He was instrumental in developing the first of its kind, Lifer/Mentor program at RJD and assisted implementation of Lifer/Mentor programs at Corcoran SATF, Valley State Prison for Women, and Pleasant Valley State Prison for men. Mr. Tent has helped to implement treatment programs, establish curriculum, and provide technical assistance including training staff nationally New York at Rikers Island. He has provided training and technical assistance for the last 8 years for Program Directors of Centro Torinese de Soldarietat Therapeutic Communities both in and out of their prison system in Torino, Italy.


	Norman Jackson, MS Senior Learning Skills Counselor 858.551.3182 ndjackson@ucsd.edu

Norman Jackson, MS, is a Senior Learning Skills Counselor with UCSD CCARTA. Prior to working at UCSD, he worked for the Information & Education Section in the California Department of Health Services Immunization Branch as an Educational Specialist II. He was awarded an academic fellowship from the Andrus Foundation and completed a Masters of Science degree from San Diego State University in the College of Health and Human Services. He has over fourteen years of health promotion and education work experience in the non-profit and government sectors. He is committed to working to decrease the health disparities in populations of color, historically disadvantaged populations, and the aged.


	Scot Lord Senior Learning Skills Counselor 858.456.6789 slord@ucsd.edu

Scot Lord, CATC, is a Senior Learning Skills Counselor at UCSD CCARTA. Scot completed the Alcohol and Other Drug Studies program at City College and began working for Mental Health Systems in the East County Drug Court program. After nearly two years, he transferred to a Proposition 36 program where he was the lead counselor for more than a year.


	Scott McClure, PhD Senior Learning Skills Counselor 858.551.2953 smcclure@ucsd.edu

Scott McClure, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology) is currently employed as a Senior Learning Skills Counselor with UCSD CCARTA. Prior to working at UCSD CCARTA, he worked for the UCSD Co-occurring disorders program as a substance abuse clinician for over 2.5 years providing individual therapy and group treatment. Scott has over seven years experience working with individuals who have co-occurring mental health and substance dependency issues across a broad scope of populations ranging from the severally mentally ill to university students. While at the UCSD Co-occurring disorders program Scott provided Multicultural and Motivational Interviewing Trainings for staff and interns, facilitated groups for PTSD, ADHD, and DBT, as well as developed Motivational Interviewing and Life Skills groups. Scott’s clinical and research interests include criminality and addiction, trauma, ADHD, and multicultural issues



Denise Sassoon dsassoon@mhsinc.org	Denise Sassoon is the Program Manager for Mental Health Systems Providence Place, a FOTEP program in San Diego. A consultant with UCSD CCARTA for over six years, she facilitates Work Force Development Trainings for F.A.C.T. Certification including Cross Trainings throughout California. She has been involved with the OSAP initiative since its inception in 1991 at Amity, RJD, and has been in the field of substance abuse treatment with Criminal Justice clientele for the past 18 years. Her formal education consists of an advanced degree in Criminal Justice.


William Smith, PhD wesmith25101@aol.com	William Smith, PhD, has more than three decades of experience in drug abuse treatment. Dr. Smith is a leading authority in clinical practice and staff development. After thirty years of service with Phoenix House serving as Corporate Vice President and Director of Clinical Services for the California Region, he recently retired. Dr. Smith is an internationally certified addiction specialist. Previous positions include Co‐chair of the Executive Committee of the California Addiction Training Center, and member of the curriculum committee of the University of California Irvine Extension Programs. He served on the Orange County Drug Advisory Board, and the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council for both Orange and Los Angeles Counties. He also co‐authored with the Rand Research Corporation on the recently published Adolescent Outcome Project. He currently is an independent consultant for UCSD and with other organizations across the nation.