Substance Use Disorder Programs
Shutting Down Stigma Against SUD
People with substance use disorder (SUD) face stigma on many fronts – from themselves, their loved ones, and even their medical providers. Research shows that clinicians do often have biases against patients with addiction. When patients feel stigmatized, they may avoid seeking treatment or disregard clinician recommendations and experience worse outcomes. Learn steps clinicians can take to becoming an advocate for patients with SUD.
Brought to you by the PA Foundation with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network Dissemination Initiative.
Allied Against Opioid Abuse
Prescription opioids are fueling a national epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 115 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose and more than 1,000 people are treated in emergency rooms daily for not using opioid prescriptions as directed.
Addressing the national opioid abuse epidemic requires bringing together stakeholders from all levels of government, the healthcare community and supply chain to provide patients and their families with information and resources to address the crisis and help prevent further harm.
That’s where Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA) can help. AAOA is a partner-based educational initiative founded by the Healthcare Distribution Alliance to prevent prescription opioid abuse and misuse. The PA Foundation has joined with other leading partners including Caregiver Action Network, Mental Health America, the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, and the National Council on Patient Information and Education to arm healthcare providers, patients and their families with resources to help prevent old or unused prescriptions from ending up in the wrong hands.
By providing educational resources for patients and their caregivers, healthcare providers and pharmacists, AAOA hopes to help communities reduce the abuse and misuse of prescription opioids and provide resources to ensure unused medicines are safely disposed of to prevent unintended consequences.
Vital Minds Podcast
The PA Foundation addresses the topic of substance use disorder in several episodes of its Vital Minds podcast:
- Episode 7 – Opioid and Alcohol Use Disorder
- Episode 10 – Addressing Addiction in PA Practice
- Episode 12 – Tackling Opioid Use Disorder in the Hospital Setting
- Episode 18 – Preventing Prescription Opioid Misuse
- Episode 20 – Telemedicine, Treating Pain, and the Prescription Decision
Preparing to Address Substance Use Disorder in Practice: A PA Student Guide
The PA Foundation has free online resources for PA students based on the PA Student SUD Symposium at AAPA 2019. The online guide includes five videos from sessions recorded at the symposium, as well as a comprehensive resource section for those wishing to pursue additional training or learn more about SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery.
Other Resources
Funding Support
- HRSA Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (apply through July 13, 2023)
OUD in the Hospital Setting
- The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School – Reducing Stigma Educational Tools (ReSET)
- Ascension Seton/The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School – Inpatient Buprenorphine Induction for Opioid Use Disorder
- Ascension Seton/The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School – Inpatient Management of Opioid Use Disorder: Buprenorphine/Naloxone
- Ascension Seton/The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School – Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone) Nursing Quick Reference Sheet
- Ascension Seton/The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School – Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone) Pharmacist Quick Reference Sheet
- SAMHSA TIP 63 Part 2: Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in General Medical Settings
- Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association – Guidelines for Medication for Addiction Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder within the Emergency Department
Addressing SUD in PA Practice
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Addiction Medicine in Primary Care
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Integrating Addiction and Primary Care Services
- Qualify for NP and PA Waivers
- Society of PAs in Addiction Medicine
- The Commonwealth Fund – “In Focus: Expanding Access to Addiction Treatment Through Primary Care”
- Harvard Medical School CME Online – “Understanding Addiction”
- NCBI – “Estimating Demand for Primary Care-Based Treatment for Substance and Alcohol Use Disorders”
Opioid and Alcohol Use Disorder
- CTN Dissemination Initiative
- Adolescent Substance Use Screening Tools
- SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
- STAT News: How effective is medication-assisted treatment for addiction? Here’s the science
- Comparative effectiveness of extended-release naltrexone versus buprenorphine-naloxone for opioid relapse prevention (X:BOT): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial
- Allied Against Opioid Abuse