The latest in substance use disorders and pain management education for healthcare providers

September 2024

Dear Anna,

September is National Recovery Month, an opportunity to increase understanding of substance use disorders (SUDs), reduce stigma attached to SUDs, and educate the public on prevention, treatment and recovery. It is also a time to celebrate the recovery community and highlight new evidence-based treatment and recovery approaches for SUDs. A SAMHSA report found that 72.2% (or 20.9 million) of adults who felt they ever had a substance use problem considered themselves to be in recovery or to have recovered from their drug or alcohol use challenges. Recovery is associated with improvements in quality of life and decreases in psychological distress, indicating that recovery is possible with effective treatment. Individuals with SUD, and their lives, often improve over time during recovery.

As part of National Recovery Month, National Addiction Professionals Day is held on September 20th. It is a day to acknowledge the dedication of addiction professionals and their role in guiding individuals through recovery. These health professionals provide prevention, treatment and recovery management services while working to create a healthier future for everyone affected by SUD.

Healthcare providers can reach out to MACS and join our upcoming webinars to learn how to expand their capacity for SUD care in clinical practice. Explore this newsletter and the tools available on the MACS website for additional resources on SUD treatment and recovery.

The MACS Team

EDUCATION

Upcoming MACS Training Opportunities

MACS Webinar

Approaches to Treatment of OUD in the Pediatric Population

Thursday, September 19 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presented by MACS Consultant, Marc Fishman, MD

MACS for MOMs Webinar

Birth is Not an Endpoint

Wednesday, October 23 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presented by MACS for MOMs Consultant, Katrina Mark, MD, FACOG

MACS Webinar

PCSS Half and Half Buprenorphine Training Hosted by MACS

Thursday, October 24 | 12:00 PM - 4:15 PM

Presented by MACS for MOMs Consultant, Chris Welsh, MD, and Marian Currens, CRNP

Upcoming Trainings of Interest

National Council for Mental Wellbeing and National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers

Mastering the Art of Recovery - From Lived Experience to Professional Impact

Tuesday, September 10 | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Grayken Center for Addiction Training & TA

Extended-Release Buprenorphine Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder

Tuesday, September 17 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

MACS ECHO Clinics

Join our learning communities for continuous case-based discussions and didactic presentations linking expert specialist teams with healthcare providers and their practices. MACS ECHO Clinics count toward the required 8-hours of SUD training for DEA license renewal or registration.

Opioid Treatment Program ECHO

Overview of Systemic Racism in Opioid Addiction Care

Malik Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH

Wednesday, September 4

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Maternal Health ECHO

Opioid Use and Pregnancy

Katrina Mark, MD

Tuesday, September 10

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

SUD ECHO

Overview of Systemic Racism in Opioid Addiction Care

Malik Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH

Wednesday, September 18

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

MACS ECHO: Providing MOUD from a Trauma-Informed Perspective

Introduction to Trauma in MOUD

Benjamin Israel, MD

Wednesday, September 25

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Conferences and Events

MACS UPMC Presentation: Caring for Individuals with Xylazine Associated Substance Use Disorder

Wednesday, September 11 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Virtual, CME Event to prescribers and behavioral health professionals at UPMC in Western, MD

Presented by MACS Consultant, Malik Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH

Hospice and Palliative Care Network of Maryland 2024 Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 25

Benzodiazepine Use in the Older Adult Population

Conference Presentation by MACS Consultant, Mike Fingerhood, MD

MACS Exhibit Table, Linthicum, Maryland

Maryland Academy of Physician Assistant (MdAPA) 2024 Annual Meeting

Wednesday, September 25 - Saturday, September 28

MACS Exhibit Table, Cambridge, Maryland

Shady Grove Grand Rounds Presentation on Perinatal Substance Use Treatment

Thursday, September 26 | 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Virtual Event to maternal health providers at Shady Grove

Presented by MACS for MOMs Consultant, Katrina Mark, MD, FACOG

Maryland Rural Health Association Annual Conference

Sunday, November 3 - Tuesday, November 5

MACS Exhibit Table, Annapolis, Maryland

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Annual Substance Use Disorder Conference

Wednesday, November 13

Naloxone to the Rescue: Update on Community Efforts to Combat Overdose

Conference Presentation by MACS Consultant, Bethany DiPaula, PharmD

MedStar Health Ground Rounds Presentation

Thursday, November 14 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 PM

Newer Street Drugs

Presented by MACS for MOMS Consultant, Christopher Welsh, MD

NEWS

The Role of Recovery Peer Navigators in Retention in Outpatient Buprenorphine Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study

This cohort study examined the role of recovery peer navigators (RPNs) in patient retention in clinical care at a low-barrier outpatient program serving a majority racial and ethnic minority population. Results demonstrated that RPNs improved retention in opioid use disorder care across all racial and ethnic groups and for socioeconomically vulnerable patients.

Integrated Behavioral Interventions for Adults with Alcohol Use Disorder: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examined evidence from randomized controlled trials on the effects of integrated behavioral interventions for adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD). While integrated behavioral interventions reduced alcohol consumption and promoted alcohol abstinence, more research is needed to determine whether these interventions are more effective than usual care for individuals with AUD.

Extended-Release 7-Day Injectable Buprenorphine for Patients with Minimal to Mild Opioid Withdrawal

A nonrandomized trial evaluated the feasibility of 7-day injectable extended-release buprenorphine in patients with minimal to mild opioid withdrawal. The extended-release buprenorphine injectable was found to be acceptable and safe in patients with minimal to mild opioid withdrawal, suggesting that this medication formulation has the potential to substantially increase the number of patients with opioid use disorder receiving treatment.

Alcohol Consumption Patterns and Mortality Among Older Adults with Health-Related or Socioeconomic Risk Factors

A prospective cohort study used data from the UK Biobank to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption patterns, mortality, and health-related and socioeconomic risk factors among older adults. Drinking, even low-risk drinking, was associated with higher mortality among older adults with health-related or socioeconomic risk factors although some drinking behaviors attenuated the association.

Harm Reduction and Treatment Among People at High Risk of Overdose

This cross-sectional study found that access to treatment and harm reduction services is a significant challenge among people who use drugs, especially for those who use stimulants without intentionally using opioids. The findings suggest that programs are needed to address the gaps in the use of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services that could reduce overdose risk among people who use drugs.

Prevalence of Problematic Pharmaceutical Opioid Use in Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic literature review and meta-analysis found that problematic pharmaceutical opioid use (POU) was common in chronic non-cancer pain patients (CNCPs) treated with opioid analgesics, with almost 30% showing signs and symptoms of dependence and opioid use disorder. Further research is needed to identify alternative non-opioid treatment approaches for pain management and strategies to prevent and manage POU in CNCPs.