Methadone

Oral health is an essential part of overall health. Healthcare professionals who provide care to patients with possible Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) or Substance Use Disorders (SUD) need to be aware of the special considerations this population may experience. Use this resource to learn how dental professionals can identify patients who may be at high-risk for OUD and SUD, while seeking care in the dental setting.

In this talk, we will discuss the creation of the Palliative Ham Reduction and Resiliency Clinic at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. This is a Palliative Medicine clinic with additional resources and support for patients with concurrent SUDs—including additional psycho-social support, substance use evaluation and management, and coordination of care. We provide care for patients with active cancer and concurrent substance misuse. We will discuss implementing a culture of (1) patient-centeredness, (2) safety, (3) collaboration, and (4) addiction support into our clinic model. We will also discuss our philosophy on safer opioid prescribing and harm reduction.

The current opioid and drug overdose crisis continues to have a devastating impact on morbidity and mortality in the United States. With the rise in use of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl in the drug supply, creating linkages to comprehensive substance use related services is critical. Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) and the comprehensive care and services they provide play a vital role in addressing this need, yet challenges remain. Despite clear evidence of the benefits of OTP’s, access to OTPs in some parts of the country is limited; stigma related to the use of methadone remains a challenge. Yet in the face of these headwinds, many OTPs are providing comprehensive leading-edge services to address the opioid and drug overdose crisis.

The purpose of this guide is to provide practical clinical practice-based guidance, based on available research combined with emerging clinical experience, on the use of buprenorphine in the treatment of individuals using fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids. 

Opioid use disorder (OUD) can be a fatal addiction with complex implications for new and/or expecting mothers. OUD challenges can lead to many complications for mother and child, including low birth weight, clinical challenges with medical dosing and increased risk of accidental death. In the U.S. alone, a baby is born passively dependent every 15 minutes. To ensure best health outcomes for both mother and child, policies must allow engagement in evidence-based treatment and protect clients from legal ramifications. Hear from a physician, clinic director and an individual with lived experience to broaden understandings about the treatment and policy landscape for pregnant and postpartum women with OUD.

This presentation will explore data from the University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction’s Baseline Needs Assessments in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, sharing insights gathered from practitioners and stakeholders about their concerns about opioid use and their perceived barriers to and beliefs about opioid use disorder treatment.

Research indicates a lack of training and programming specific to treating and managing co-occurring opioid and stimulant use disorders, despite the increased risk of overdose bolstered by the ever-changing and adulterated drug supply. While MOUD is the gold standard of care for treating OUD, there are no FDA-approved medications for treating stimulant use disorder, though behavioral therapies like contingency management have been well-studied. These challenges highlight the need to identify promising treatment strategies to ensure individuals with co-occurring opioid and stimulant use disorders are effectively engaged in care to prevent overdose. This session will equip BH providers and organizations in this space, including Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), with the tools necessary to effectively engage and provide quality, team-based care and services to individuals with co-occurring opioid and stimulant use disorders in order to improve health outcomes, reduce overdose risk, and support long-term recovery.

This module reviews the following key data points which are important to primary care providers: 1) the current epidemiologic data on drug-drug interactions between opioids and other medications, 2) possible explanations for increases in drug-drug interactions, 3) physiological and pharmacokinetic basis for adverse drug interactions, and 4) strategies for reducing risk for adverse drug interactions.

The number of older adults is projected to exceed 72.1 million people by 2030 and members of the baby boomer generation have the highest rates of early life substance use which increases likelihood of substance use in later life. With rates of SUDs growing in older individuals, this population is experiencing mood and anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, cognitive impairments, sleep disruption, hepatic complications, and greater physical disability as co-morbid symptoms of substance use and aging. This webinar aims to improve awareness of the occurrence and impact of SUD as well as teach geriatric SUD screening tools. Finally, the webinar will offer recommendations for pharmacologic and psychosocial treatments for SUD in older adults.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) has highly effective FDA approved medications for its treatment. This module reviews and compares pharmacological treatment options for individuals with OUD, including methadone, buprenorphine (SL and injectable formulations), and naltrexone (oral and long-acting intramuscular formulations). Current evidence for each medication is reviewed in detail and studies comparing each are discussed. The purpose and goal of medications for OUD is reviewed and different treatment models are presented. The module includes a discussion of a case vignette in which medication options for OUD are considered.