Substance Use Disorders: Scope of the Problem, What to Look for in a Treatment Program

Substance Use Disorders: Scope of the Problem, What to Look for in a Treatment Program

The opioid epidemic in our country has understandably been given much attention. Here we discuss the prevalence of opiate use/addiction in population, present how the opioid crisis came about in the country, what’s helped address this problem and why this problem isn’t going away. We then look at what to look for when referring a patient to treatment providing a virtual Top 10 list of those things your treatment program should be doing to be successful clinically.  Focus will include how to identify and select from among a wide array of practices, including technology-based practices, cognitive-behavioral treatments, and medication-assisted treatments, with substantial scientific proof of effectiveness.  We will explore what to look for in staffing and curriculum to ensure the best outcomes.  We will look at how to measure whether services are being delivered with fidelity by the right staff, to the right patients and how to evaluate their results. From experience in implementing staffing and evidence-based practices in over 250 public and private treatment programs, we show how all treatment systems can offer a cost-effective, evidence-based continuum of care.

Learning Objectives

• Know the top components to look for when selecting substance abuse treatment programs.
• Identify key factors in a full continuum of care.
• Recognize the best “evidence-based practices” from among the myriad of available services and practices
• Demonstrate how all treatment systems – private and public – can offer a cost-effective, evidence-based continuum of care
• Learn how to evaluate if a program is delivering practices with fidelity to ensure best chances at success.