Program Summary:  This course is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring strategies for increasing motivation to change substance use behaviors.  The five stages in the SOC model are highlighted including precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.  Motivational counseling and various interventions that can help strengthen client commitment to change are explored.  This course includes Chapter 1- A New Look at Motivation, Chapter 2- Motivational Counseling and Brief Intervention, Chapter 3- Motivational Interviewing as a Counseling Style, and Chapter 4- From Precontemplation to Contemplation:  Building Readiness.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course examines Title 42 CFR Part 2, a law governing the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records in federally funded SUD treatment programs.  The law allows patients to seek needed treatment without fear of adverse consequences for child custody, divorce, employment proceedings, etc.  The course offers healthcare scenarios highlighting key provisions of Part 2 and includes FAQs for applying 42 CFS Part 2.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course does not qualify for NBCC ethics credit. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores the use of medication-assisted treatment and offers guidance for improving the care of individuals with OUD who are or who have been in contact with the criminal justice system.  The course looks at best practices for counseling, medication dosage, medication duration, co-occurring mental health disorders, and post-release services.  FDA-approved medications- methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice  Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course takes a comprehensive and practical look at opioid misuse, treatment, overdose, and recovery.  The course includes a discussion of the prevalence of opioid misuse and the neurobiology of addiction.  Treatment approaches include a combination of medication-assisted treatment and psychosocial therapies.  FDA-approved OUD medications are discussed.  The reading includes Facing Addiction in America:  The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioid.  

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

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Program Summary:  This course examines OUD in the general medical setting and offers guidance on screening, assessment, DSM-5 diagnosis, and treatment. Healthcare workers in general medical settings are seeing an increasing number of patients with OUD.  They are often a first contact for patients and the primary providers of ongoing clinical care. The course includes information on drug testing and shared decision-making between patients and providers.

“Effective integration of prevention, treatment, and recovery services across health care systems is key to addressing opioid misuse and its consequences and it represents the most promising way to improve access to and quality of treatment.”  –The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

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Program Summary:  This course explores the common comorbidities that occur with substance use disorders.  Many people who develop substance use disorders also experience other illnesses such as mental illness, chronic physical health conditions, and HIV.  These disorders often occur together or co-occur.  The course explores the connections between these comorbid conditions along with approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores alcohol use disorder and the medications approved for treating alcohol use disorder including Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate.  Medication assisted treatment can be an effective element of treatment for moderate or severe alcohol use disorder and this course explores screening and assessment, developing a treatment plan, medication-assisted treatment, safety, efficacy, and progress.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores marijuana use and its affects on the brain and the body.  Acute, persistent, and long-term consequences are discussed, along with available treatments.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course consists of Part 4 of SAMHSA’s TIP 63:  Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Partnering Addiction Treatment Counselors with Clients and Healthcare Professionals.  The course offers guidance for counselors who work with OUD, OUD medications, and recovery oriented treatment.  The course examines the neurobiology of OUD, FDA-approved medications, and the role of counseling.  Treatment with methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone is discussed along with benefits, common misconceptions, and concerns.  The course includes guidance for pregnant women and guidance for working with mutual help groups.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
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Program Summary:  This course explores prescription opioid misuse, heroin use, maintenance medications, and treatment.  Historical trends have shifted since the 1960’s with a changing demographic of opioid users and increasing prescription opioid misuse. From 1991-2011, US opioid prescriptions nearly tripled.  Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are effective treatments but highly underutilized.  Access to the opioid antagonist, Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, is increasing.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
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Program Summary:  This course examines substance misuse and behavioral health issues among college students.  Alcohol misuse, illicit drug use, tobacco use, and mental health issues are discussed.  The objective is to increase awareness of important behavioral health issues that college students face during this period of youth, transition, and stress.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course examines how early childhood prevention interventions can help reduce substance abuse as well as other mental, emotional, and behavior problems.  The course looks at intervention efforts that aim to reduce risk factors and promote protective factors for young children.  The course offers 7 principles of substance abuse prevention for early childhood.  The first and overarching principle proposes that “intervening early in childhood can alter the life course trajectory in a positive direction.”

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores adolescent substance use and the unique treatment needs of teens.  The course provides an overview of the developing adolescent brain and the vulnerabilities that teens face when confronting substance use.  The reading offers 13 Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Treatment and includes Frequently Asked Questions, a discussion of Treatment Settings, and Evidence-Based Approaches to treating adolescent substance use disorders.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning,  intermediate, and advanced levels of practice.  

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Program Summary:  This course examines the association between substance use and suicide and how substance misuse affects suicidal behavior.  The course identifies at-risk populations, shared risk factors, shared protective factors, warning signs, and the need for collaborative efforts across mental health and substance use fields.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning,  intermediate, and advanced levels of practice.  

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Program Summary:  This course takes a comprehensive look at substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery.  The course includes a discussion of the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder (DSM-5), the affects of substance use on the brain, risk factors and protective factors, evidence-based treatment and prevention interventions, the substance use care continuum, strategies to reduce harm, and recovery. The reading includes Chapters 1-5 from Facing Addiction in America:  The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Addiction, and Health.  

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning,  intermediate, and advanced levels of practice.  
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Program Summary:  This course examines the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD and substance use disorders in adults.  The course includes a discussion of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, stimulant misuse, ADHD screening tools, and treatment options.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course examines the ways in which women may differ from men in how they use drugs, respond to drugs, and respond to treatment.   The course looks at sex and gender differences related to the use of marijuana, stimulants, MDMA, heroin, prescription drugs, alcohol, and nicotine.   Research on substance use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding is also included.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors and therapists and is appropriate for beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course outlines 13 principles of effective substance use treatment and discusses frequently asked questions.  The reading explores a variety of treatment issues including the components of drug abuse treatment, a comparison of relapse rates, and the unique needs of special populations.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores therapeutic communities and the ‘community as method’ approach to treatment for substance use disorders.  The course describes the fundamental components of a therapeutic community, the three treatment stages, and the needs of special populations.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..