Methadone

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has finalized an overhaul of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) that enshrines many flexibilities first implemented during the crisis response to the COVID pandemic. These changes represent the first significant change to methadone treatment in over 20 years. In this episode, we have Dr. Olsen return to our podcast to talk more about these important policy changes and what providers need to know. Dr. Yngvild Olsen is the director for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. 

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.

Which patients receiving methadone should be considered good candidates for transfer to buprenorphine? How should I transition a patient from methadone to buprenorphine?

View Guidance.

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.

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.

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. 

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.