Webinar Archives

This four-session online case-based learning collaborative series is designed for healthcare professionals treating individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Each 1.5-hour live, virtual session will feature an educational presentation on OUD and real-world case discussions led by addiction experts, providing practical insights and actionable strategies to improve patient care. Participants will explore best practices, discuss challenges, and collaborate on solutions in an engaging, interactive format.

This educational activity, presented by Dr. Phillip Coffin, explores the evolving landscape of methamphetamine use amidst the growing presence of fentanyl. Attendees will gain insights into current morbidity and mortality trends, the physiological mechanisms behind methamphetamine toxicity, and evidence-based interventions for managing methamphetamine use disorder (MeUD). Emphasis will be placed on comprehensive prevention, treatment strategies, and addressing the long-term cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric impacts associated with chronic use.

Sound ethics and boundaries are critical to the provision of Substance Use Disorder treatment. Ethical behaviors and boundaries support a client’s treatment process, foster a positive client recovery environment, and promote service engagement. On the other hand, challenges related to unethical practices and boundaries can impact the professionals’ well-being, resulting in negative job consequences. In this training, participants will reflect on their experiences with ethical dilemmas and explore strategies to deliver effective and professional care to SUD clients.

Due to the opioid epidemic, over 2.5 million adults in the U.S. have opioid use disorder (OUD), yet only 25% of those who need treatment receive recommended medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Alongside the rising rates of OUD, there has been an increase in infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, endocarditis and skin and soft-tissue infections, particularly among people who inject drugs. These intertwining epidemics have not been sufficiently addressed, but MOUD — combined with appropriate substance use treatment supports and health care services — represents an opportunity to reduce risk and improve health outcomes.

In this webinar, researchers from the Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania will discuss a novel, virtual social-behavioral intervention, GROV (Grid for Reduction of Regional Vulnerability), which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the DP01 mechanism led by PI Dolores Albarracin. The presentation will showcase how the intervention seeks to foster effective social regulation of community challenges as a way of promoting HIV and HCV testing, preventing overdoses, seeking mental and physical health treatments, establishing social relationships, etc. The research team will delve into the intervention’s design and procedures and share preliminary results during the webinar, followed by a question-and-answer session for attendees.

This webinar on “Recovery Supports for Youth and Young Adults with Opioid Use Disorder,” presented by Dr. Peter Jackson, Medical Director of the University of Vermont Medical Center Addiction Treatment Center and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. This session, brought to you by the Providers Clinical Support System – Medications for Opioid Use Disorders (PCSS-MOUD), will delve into family-based interventions, school-based recovery programs, and mutual help support. Gain valuable knowledge to enhance your practice and support young individuals on their recovery journey.

Most treatments and interventions for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) require that individuals engage in interpersonal communication with their health service providers or individuals in their recovery support network. However, at the specific moment when people resume their misuse of opioids, they are often alone or with people who enable their substance use. This webinar will provide information on the utilization of paced breathing exercises, delivered by smartphone, for self-management of drug cravings, stress, and anxiety. This session will include an overview of just-in-time interventions for substance use disorders, the biological basis for paced-breathing effectiveness, and user experience results from a pilot study.

As the opioid use crisis continues to progress, communities across the country are now being faced with additional dangers such as the misuse of Xylazine, a powerful sedative commonly used for animals in the drug supply. Recent studies indicate these potent substances when used with opioids increase overdose risk and complicates treatment and long-term healthcare. Join us today as we discuss the history and context of Xylazine and opioid use as well as options for treatment and care.

Our sixth and final webinar in the series will explore ethical, clinical, and practical issues when assessing and treating individuals in drug treatment courts, those referred by supervision officers, those incarcerated, and those otherwise involved in the justice system. Learn how to deliver person-centered care that respects client choice and is consistent with court mandates and expectations. Understand the role of the addiction professional when the Court and the Client have different goals.

Our fifth webinar in this series sheds light on the vital contributions of peer support specialists in the interdisciplinary approach to opioid use disorder treatment. These individuals who have walked a similar path offer invaluable understanding and guidance. Learn how peers play an essential role in fostering hope, building community, and achieving lasting recovery.