Author Archive
Department of Health and Human Services Final Rule – Modification of Dispensing Restrictions of Buprenorphine and Buprenorphine Combination as Used in Approved Opioid Treatment Medications
Posted in: AATOD
Leave a Comment (0) →“We particularly appreciate the sensitivity of providing such guidance to the county at a time of increasing prescription opioid abuse and addiction. These proposed regulations expand the entities to which ultimate users may transfer unused, unwanted or expired controlled substances for the purpose of disposal as w ell as the methods by which such controlled substances mayb e collected.”
Click Here to read the entire letter on on AATOD’s response to
I am providing a progress report on AATOD’s activities over the course of the past year since the “Challenges/Solutions” policy paper was published during June 2011.
AATOD Conference
AATOD had a successful National Conference which convened in Las Vegas, Nevada during April 2012. Approximately 1,400 people participated in this conference, making it one of the best attended conferences in recent history. The content was rich, including a number of pre-conference sessions focusing on patient advocacy training, tobacco cessation, integrating Hepatitis therapy in OTPs, increasing access to Medication Assisted Treatment in Drug Courts, the Opioid Maintenance Pharmacotherapy Course for Clinicians, and training for using buprenorphine in OTPs.
The theme of the conference, “Recovery for Patients, Families, and Communities”, was reiterated during a plenary session as well as a number of the workshop topics. As many people in the field know, producing this conference is our Association’s method of providing the most current clinical and policy information to our associates in the United States and abroad.
Health Care Reform
The AATOD Board of Directors is of the judgment that Health Care Reform is one of the most critical issues affecting our patients and the future of our treatment system. AATOD has been working with the Legal Action Center and the Coalition for Whole Health in developing policies in support of how Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction will be made available to Americans who would benefit from such treatment. Many of us in the field of addiction treatment were surprised when the federal government decided to allow the states to determine what Essential Health Benefits would be covered under Health Care Reform. Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act AATOD will continue its partnership with the Coalition in working with state provider organizations as a method of advocating for our patients. We also realize that this is an especially daunting task given the weak economy and shrinking state budgets.
Posted in: Blog
Leave a Comment (0) →Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of including medication in the treatment of some individuals with substance use disorders. For years, there has been limited use of medications for the treatment of substance dependence. Today, however, public and private health insurance plans are including (or at least considering) coverage of medication services along with psychosocial interventions for treatment of substance use disorders. A growing body of research substantiates that the use of FDA-approved medications can play an important role in the treatment of substance use disorders, especially for people with alcohol, opioid, or nicotine dependence, with continued research being done on medications for other substance use disorders. These studies demonstrate the efficacy of treating addiction as a chronic disease. READ MORE
Posted in: Best Practices, North Carolina
Leave a Comment (0) →By Kristen Hayes, CRC Corporate Communications Director
On Friday, September 14th, the Carolina Treatment Center in Pinehurst, NC held their first community Open House and celebrated National Recovery Month. The facility recently completed an expansion project, so the event included a special ribbon cutting ceremony with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the opportunity to tour the facility. They invited community providers to set up informational tables, held raffle drawings, had speakers discuss substance abuse and treatment, and sold food with all proceeds going to benefit a local youth substance abuse prevention program.
Before the event, Clinic Director Amy Morris said, “The goal of this event is to honor those who work in substance abuse prevention and treatment, and people in recovery from substance abuse disorders.”
After the event, Amy wrote in an email: “One year ago, I was given the opportunity to work as Director at Carolina Treatment Center in Pinehurst. I was given the task of taking a facility that had been without onsite leadership and was struggling with a community full of misinformed ideas and stigma. In addition, it was a facility that had outgrown itself. Staff members were sharing offices and niches that had been carved out of corners to work in. During this transitional time, staff morale had reached a low and turnover was astounding. There was much potential in the facility, the staff that had weathered the storm, and the community full of misinformation.
“I made a commitment to the staff to take care of their needs and they made a commitment to offer the highest quality of care and pursue the vision that I had for Pinehurst, even when it seemed daunting if not impossible, from where we stood.
“From January until now, the staff gave 100% and then some more. We embarked on a mission to fill vacant positions only with people who would be part of our goals and would accept nothing but the best from themselves and each other. Countless hours were spent reaching out to the community. There was a conscious effort to directly face the stigma that has always plagued opioid treatment. We dispersed across the law enforcement, prevention, social service, and treatment professionals throughout our county. We completed a renovation that allowed for 1600 square feet of additional treatment space with the help of Ed Ohlinger and Sam Moore. The staff at Carolina Treatment Center is absolutely the most dedicated team I have ever worked with and they do not ask for much in return.
“Last night was the accumulation of a yearlong effort to incorporate ourselves in the treatment community. Overwhelmingly, the response was positive. We were able to shake hands with people who would not take our calls 6 months ago. Parents came and shared their stories with each other and with us. They were thankful that we have opened our doors to the community to show that opiate treatment has a legitimate place and serves a grossly underserved, over stigmatized population. Family members and patients were proud to be part of our efforts and this event. We refuse to act as `the methadone clinic’ that people whisper about and are ashamed to attend.
“I would like to thank the staff at Pinehurst because without their hard work and dedication, none of this would be possible. I would like to thank Ed Ohlinger for giving me a chance to work on his team and allowing me to see a vision through and Sam Moore for his dedication to our expansion and renovations. I thank CRC for their continued commitment to the people we serve and the employees that work in the trenches of OTP treatment daily. With this continued support, Pinehurst has no limits. Keep watching because the best is yet to come.”
Echoed Katie Clark, a research assistant at the Yale School of Public Health who is also working towards her Masters of Science in Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill and was an invited speaker at the event, “I believe that opening the doors and showing the community what actually happens at treatment facilities can really work to reduce the stigma and intolerance that is associated with substance use disorder treatment facilities. I hope the staff are proud of their event. They showed commitment to their community and their patients.”
Posted in: Blog, North Carolina
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