Training for integrated care treatment of Opioid use disorder

About 115 opioid overdose deaths occur every day in the USA (CDC, 2017), with the highest numbers of deaths occurring in West Virginia and Ohio. Opioid drugs include prescription opioids such as Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine, and Methadone used to treat moderate to severe pain; Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is more powerful that other opioid drugs, and is being illicitly manufactured; and Heroin, an illegal drug that is being abused increasingly with a reported 5 times increase in overdose deaths from 2010-2016 in the USA. Rural and urban communities are being hard-hit by opioid addiction and for every death reported there are 4-5 times more non-fatal opioid overdoses. Rural communities are particularly affected due to the limited treatment facilities available. The integration of primary health and behavioral health is evidence-based and crucial for successful treatment of Opioid Use Disorder. Yet counselor preparation programs are not adequately training students to work effectively in integrated care treatment teams. Participants will understand research supporting medication assisted treatment for Opioid Use Disorder, and will gain insight into how primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, counselors, and behavioral health consultants are collaborating successfully for the benefit of patients in rural south-eastern Ohio. The value of interdisciplinary training using case-based discussions to illustrate components of Integrated Care will be presented. Presentation objectives include that attendees will:

- Understand the benefits of integrated care treatment for opioid use disorder, with an emphasis on a team-based approach among treatment providers.

- Gain information about the types of medication assisted treatment protocols for opioid use disorder, including their strengths and weaknesses.

- Explore training strategies for counselors and other behavioral health providers to effectively collaborate with primary care providers in medication assisted treatment

- Learn specific competencies for effective integrated care treatment provided by the US government agency Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).