Methadone

Methadone is an opioid agonist medication that has been used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) for 50 years. Methadone reduces opioid craving and withdrawal and blunts or blocks the effects of opioids. As with all medications used in medications for addiction treatment (MAT), methadone is prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Methadone, which is also used to treat pain, can cause adverse effects, including overdose, if not taken as prescribed. By law, patients taking methadone to treat OUD must receive the medication under the supervision of a physician, and methadone is only dispensed through a SAMHSA-certified opioid treatment program (OTP).

Related Training Resources​

Presenter(s):
Ed Hayes: Assistant Superintendent at Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Administrative Director of the FCSO OTP and Rachel Katz, NP Director, Addiction Services, Friends of the Homeless (FOH), Medical Respite, CNP
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): No
Certificate: Certificate of Attendance, 1-hour
Transitioning from jails and prisons back into the community can be especially difficult for people with opioid use disorders (OUD). Research suggests that opioid use overdose increases dramatically within the first 30 days of citizens returning to the community. Further, individuals recently released from incarceration face a risk of opioid overdose ten times greater than the general public. During these transitions it is critical that people receive seamless and appropriate resources in order to prevent overdose and return to use. This proper transition can help lower health care costs, hospitalizations and emergency department visits, as well as decrease mortality and recidivism for justice-involved individuals, yet at this time only 13 states have sought Medicaid waivers to provide SUD services pre-release. Join us today as we explore how programs can successfully develop services to ensure returning citizens receive appropriate care to address OUD.
Presenter(s):
Bobby Mukkamala, MD and Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, MD
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): Yes
Designations: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
Opioid use disorder is a chronic disease that affects many and can be effectively treated. Evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), as well as harm reduction initiatives, can help individuals maintain in treatment and mitigate risks of relapse. In this episode, we’ll discuss medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) as well as OUD treatment considerations and standards of care. The discussion will also include barriers that can stand in the way of those seeking treatment.
Oral health is an essential part of overall health. Healthcare professionals who provide care to patients with possible Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) or Substance Use Disorders (SUD) need to be aware of the special considerations this population may experience. Use this resource to learn how dental professionals can identify patients who may be at high-risk for OUD and SUD, while seeking care in the dental setting.
Presenter(s):
Sachin Kale, MD; and Justin Kullgren, PharmD, FAAHPM
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): Yes
Designations: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
In this talk, we will discuss the creation of the Palliative Ham Reduction and Resiliency Clinic at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. This is a Palliative Medicine clinic with additional resources and support for patients with concurrent SUDs—including additional psycho-social support, substance use evaluation and management, and coordination of care. We provide care for patients with active cancer and concurrent substance misuse. We will discuss implementing a culture of (1) patient-centeredness, (2) safety, (3) collaboration, and (4) addiction support into our clinic model. We will also discuss our philosophy on safer opioid prescribing and harm reduction.
Presenter(s):
Mark Parrino, President & CEO of The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. and Jennifer Seib, VP of Strategic Initiatives and Integration at BestSelf Behavioral Health
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): No
Certificate: Certificate of Attendance, 1-hour
The current opioid and drug overdose crisis continues to have a devastating impact on morbidity and mortality in the United States. With the rise in use of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl in the drug supply, creating linkages to comprehensive substance use related services is critical. Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) and the comprehensive care and services they provide play a vital role in addressing this need, yet challenges remain. Despite clear evidence of the benefits of OTP’s, access to OTPs in some parts of the country is limited; stigma related to the use of methadone remains a challenge. Yet in the face of these headwinds, many OTPs are providing comprehensive leading-edge services to address the opioid and drug overdose crisis.
The purpose of this guide is to provide practical clinical practice-based guidance, based on available research combined with emerging clinical experience, on the use of buprenorphine in the treatment of individuals using fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids. 
Presenter(s):
Maria Manriquez, M.D., FACOG, FASAM, PMH-C; Tara Sundem, APRN, NNP-BC; and Tawni Carson
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): No
Certificate: Certificate of Attendance, 1-hour
Opioid use disorder (OUD) can be a fatal addiction with complex implications for new and/or expecting mothers. OUD challenges can lead to many complications for mother and child, including low birth weight, clinical challenges with medical dosing and increased risk of accidental death. In the U.S. alone, a baby is born passively dependent every 15 minutes. To ensure best health outcomes for both mother and child, policies must allow engagement in evidence-based treatment and protect clients from legal ramifications. Hear from a physician, clinic director and an individual with lived experience to broaden understandings about the treatment and policy landscape for pregnant and postpartum women with OUD.
Presenter(s):
Valerie Harder, PhD, MHS and Julia Shaw, MPH
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): Yes
Designations: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, Pharmacy CE Credit, Nursing Contact Hours, AAPA Category 1 CME, Social Work CE Credit, Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit
This presentation will explore data from the University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction’s Baseline Needs Assessments in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, sharing insights gathered from practitioners and stakeholders about their concerns about opioid use and their perceived barriers to and beliefs about opioid use disorder treatment.
Presenter(s):
Jonathan Craig Allen, MD, FASAM, and Marc Fishman, MD
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): Yes
Designations: Pharmacy CE Credit, AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, AAPA Category 1 CME, Nursing Contact Hours, Social Work CE Credit, Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit
Research indicates a lack of training and programming specific to treating and managing co-occurring opioid and stimulant use disorders, despite the increased risk of overdose bolstered by the ever-changing and adulterated drug supply. While MOUD is the gold standard of care for treating OUD, there are no FDA-approved medications for treating stimulant use disorder, though behavioral therapies like contingency management have been well-studied. These challenges highlight the need to identify promising treatment strategies to ensure individuals with co-occurring opioid and stimulant use disorders are effectively engaged in care to prevent overdose. This session will equip BH providers and organizations in this space, including Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), with the tools necessary to effectively engage and provide quality, team-based care and services to individuals with co-occurring opioid and stimulant use disorders in order to improve health outcomes, reduce overdose risk, and support long-term recovery.
Presenter(s):
Andrew Saxon, MD
Credit Available:
CE Credit(s): Yes
Designations: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, AAPA Category 1 CME, Nursing Contact Hours, Pharmacy CE Credit, Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit
This module reviews the following key data points which are important to primary care providers: 1) the current epidemiologic data on drug-drug interactions between opioids and other medications, 2) possible explanations for increases in drug-drug interactions, 3) physiological and pharmacokinetic basis for adverse drug interactions, and 4) strategies for reducing risk for adverse drug interactions.
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Rick Garcia, MD, Roger Chou, MD

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2018 Steering Committee Meeting

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