Evidence-Based Substance Use Education

Duration: 1-hour and 3-hour formats available

In recognition of specific education on OUD and innovative treatment for chronic and/or acute pain, this new workshop will provide updated information on evidenced-based treatment modalities, including non-opioid alternatives to pain management. Medical providers will gain tools to reduce the risk of opioid overdose and treat pain safely, as well as the skills to screen and treat substance use disorders in a patient-centered way. Participants will gain knowledge on:

• Updated tapering recommendations for patients on chronic opioid therapy
• Enhanced information on harm reduction strategies
• Emerging data of postoperative pain management for patients with OUD
• Addressing stigma and bias that prevent patients from receiving the best care

*Designed to satisfy, partially or in full, the North Carolina Medical Board’s CME requirement for controlled substance prescribers.

Duration: 1 hour

This program will provide an overview and discussion of how to wean patients experiencing chronic pain who are on chronic opioid therapy to safe levels or to non-pharmacological therapy, when possible. The program will summarize the best practices of tapering opioids by reviewing evidence-based methods for initiating, evaluating, and titrating opioid dosages and/or discounting opioids for individuals with chronic pain. The program will also review alternative strategies for chronic pain.

*Designed to satisfy, partially or in full, the North Carolina Medical Board’s CME requirement for controlled substance prescribers.

Duration: 2 hours

In March 2021, Federal Health and Human Services (HHS) eliminated the 8-24 hour DATA-X Waiver training requirements for prescribers treating 30 or fewer patients with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). However, the continued presence of the X-waiver perpetuates the stigma associated with these treatments, which also plays a role in preventing clinicians from prescribing buprenorphine to patients. As a result, this treatment remains unnecessarily isolated from normal healthcare delivery. This program seeks to provide the foundation for the treatment of opioid use disorder through buprenorphine. Learners will understand how to assess a patient for OUD, how to prescribe buprenorphine for OUD and pain management,and how to use Urine Drug Screens. Our main goal is to have more prescribers treating OUD with medications for sustained recovery and harm reduction.

Duration: 2 hours

This course will outline the basics of substance use disorders/addiction (specifically opioid use disorder) and will discuss various models of treating substance use disorders (biomedical, psychological, and biopsychosocial) and address stigma and biases related to substance use, as well as an overview of some harm reduction strategies. Additionally, the course will provide information on some aspects of the ‘nuts and bolts ‘of what it takes to provide opioid use disorder treatment through an integrated care team approach. The program includes how to use screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) in primary care.

Duration: 1 hour

This program provides an introduction to harm reduction and training on naloxone administration. Participants will recognize the value of low-barrier access to substance use disorder care, especially MOUD. This course will provide a review of principles and evidence-based best practices for harm reduction, including naloxone distribution, safer consumption of services, overdose response and prevention, and HIV/HCV screening and treatment as prevention.

Duration: 1 hour

This program on stimulant use disorder led by a family medicine physician, licensed clinical counselor, and clinical pharmacist will review the epidemiology, trends and behaviors of use of patients who use stimulants. During the virtual hour presentation, the team will define stimulant use disorder, describe pathophysiology and identify signs and symptoms of a patient with stimulant use disorder. The program will detail the evidence-based behavioral therapy methods and novel pharmacotherapy options for for treatment. It will also focus on stigma and bias among people who use drugs as well as review harm reduction strategies for people who use stimulants.

Duration: 1 hour

MAHEC staff will describe the experience of implementing a successful Contingency Management program within Project CARA, the embedded perinatal substance use disorder program in MAHEC OB. This course provides:

• An understanding of contingency management
• How CM/incentives are used in treatment/recovery

Duration: 1 hour

This program, which provides an overview of perinatal substance use disorder, offers a review of evidence-based treatment recommendations for pregnant women with substance use disorder, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), and the ongoing needs for the family after delivery.

Duration: 90 minutes

Over the past 20 years, we have seen a steadily growing prevalence of pregnancies affected by substance use disorders while the screening, assessment, and evidence-based treatment of pregnant people affected by use disorders has not been a topic routinely taught in our healthcare training across our disciplines. Perinatal Substance Use Disorders 101 is a 90-minute webinar created to expand the basic knowledge of those who interface with families affected by perinatal substance use disorder and provide tools to help deliver best care. The target audience is the interdisciplinary team with a focus on inpatient and outpatient nurses, social workers, counselors, and medical providers. This training provides an introduction to four key topics:

1. The chronic disease model of substance use disorders
2. Recommendations for best practice for screening and treatment of perinatal substance use disorders
3. Delivery of care for mother and neonate affected by maternal substance use disorders
4. Transitions of care that occur leading up to and after delivery

Duration: 105 minutes

This training provides expanded content on the four key topics covered in Perinatal Substance Use Disorders 101. It is recommended that Perinatal Substance Use Disorders 101 has been completed prior to registering for this course.

Over the past 20 years, we have seen a steadily growing prevalence of pregnancies affected by substance use disorders while the screening, assessment, and evidence-based treatment of pregnant people affected by use disorders has not been a topic routinely taught in our healthcare training across our disciplines. Perinatal Substance Use Disorders 201 is a 105-minute webinar created to increase the knowledge and skill set of those who work regularly with families affected by perinatal substance use disorder and expand their expertise in delivering evidence-based perinatal substance use disorder care. The target audience is the interdisciplinary team with a focus on inpatient and outpatient nurses, social workers, counselors, and medical providers.

Duration: varied

MAHEC’s NARCAD-trained academic detailer will provide 1:1 supportive and educational academic detailing sessions with providers in North Carolina who would benefit from (or who request) mentoring on the management of patients with acute and chronic pain. The detailer will present evidence-based clinical education tools while building a peer-to-peer relationship that will encourage buy-in for sustainable practice change and improve the prescribing practices of the provider, thus improving patient outcomes in the short and long terms. CME credit can be provided.

Duration: 1 hour

This program provides as overview of the history, progression, and impact of the opioid crisis.