New and Upcoming Activities

Over 2.5 million adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with OUD. In 2022, 12.7% of ED visits involved opioids. Yet only 25% of those who need treatment receive recommended MOUD. MOUDs are highly effective treatments that have been shown to decrease opioid use, cravings and transmission of infectious disease, and to increase retention in treatment. As the opioid epidemic continues to impact people across the U.S., the ED represents a critical access point to the health care system, supporting people with OUD by initiating MOUD, such as buprenorphine, and connecting them to low-threshold, easy-to-access care for continued treatment.

This webinar describes the evidence and regulations for methadone in emergency rooms and hospitals, including protocols for rapid methadone initiation and applying changes to the 3-day rule.

Topic: Review medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD), with a focus on buprenorphine treatment and its various formulations, and strategies for including harm reduction approaches into care. Discuss administrative, clinical, and financial considerations, and provide resources for both prescribers and non-prescribers.

Topic: Review patient screening considerations and discuss how OUD screening can be integrated into current clinic workflows. Discuss the training and certifications required for specific team members to implement MOUD. Highlight the critical role of Champions, and how to strategically select Champions to support MOUD implementation.

Topic: Review considerations for MOUD initiation and follow-up, including lab guidelines, and clinical management of patients with continued use (e.g., fentanyl, novel synthetic opioids), overdose risk, poly-substance use, and comorbid mental health conditions.

Topic: Consider approaches to sustain MOUD and ensure continued access to high-quality care for our most challenged patients, including those who are pregnant, youth/adolescents, those with acute or chronic pain, and those electing to taper their dose.

Recent attention has turned to opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs) as significant and growing health concerns among older adults. Biopsychosocial complications that develop with age, including medical comorbidities and cognitive impairments, contribute to some of the adverse interactions between substance misuse and the aging brain. This webinar will focus on how professionals can effectively work at the intersection of aging, mental health, and substance use, with a specific emphasis on opioid use disorder. Participants will learn practical strategies for assessing, diagnosing, treating, and supporting older clients with OUD or other SUDs, and will be empowered to offer compassionate, evidence-informed, and age-responsive care.

One in 80 adolescents and young adults aged 12-17 years (“youth”) in the United States has an opioid use disorder (OUD). Without effective treatment, youth with OUD are at risk for developing lifelong addiction and experiencing associated harms, including overdose. This presentation will review the epidemiology of substance use and overdose among US youth, review evidence-based strategies to prevent OUD, and delineate screening, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery supports to promote the health and well-being of youth with OUD.

Join Terrence D. Walton, MSW, for a webinar exploring recent research and practical guidance on integrating MOUD with specific counseling interventions to enhance medication adherence, treatment success, recovery capital, and quality of life. The presenter will use research findings and practice wisdom to explain when medication alone may be sufficient and why, for many, a combined approach is essential for thriving recovery. The webinar will also explore implications for treating those with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.