Educational Activities Archives

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and incarceration are deeply intertwined, with many individuals entering the criminal justice system due to drug-related offenses or behaviors linked to addiction. This webinar explores the complex relationship between addiction and incarceration, examines systemic factors that perpetuate cycles of substance use and imprisonment, and considers the role of social workers in fostering change at both practice and policy levels.

In this episode of the Stigma and Substance Use Podcast, we dive into why language in client and patient records matters—and how it can shape care experiences. We explore practical ways to use non-stigmatizing language in health records and discuss the role of electronic health record (EHR) in shaping documentation. Who designs these systems, and how can they be improved? We also examine real-world case scenarios where stigmatizing notes have had lasting impacts on individuals. Whether you’re a provider, policymaker, or advocate, this episode offers insight into making health records more respectful, equitable, and aligned with patient-centered care.

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.

Emergency Department Bridge Programs allow ED physicians to connect patients in the ED with comprehensive addiction care. While the benefits of bridge programs for patients with opioid use disorder are known, what’s less understood is how these programs affect the lives of the providers themselves. For a paper published in Academic Emergency Medicine last year, researchers interviewed providers about these programs and found that patients were not the only benefactors.