CME Accredited

Warren Yamashita, MD MPH

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have seen a rise in the polydrug overdose epidemic now surpassing over 100,000 deaths in this last year. While those in ministry & health care are called to this battle, too often we are siloed or even divided over disagreements about medications or therapy frameworks. The controversy on whether to prescribe Medication Assisted Therapy such as Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder, often divides clinicians and Church ministries. Sometimes there is disagreement on recommending psychotherapy or biblical counseling.

CME Accredited

Cheryl Ho, MD

While recent news has focused on COVID-19, people who use drugs have been hit even harder by the opioid overdose epidemic in this current fentanyl era. The goal of this workshop is to discuss a new paradigm for buprenorphine treatment: the primary goal of treatment is to prevent fatal overdose; the key outcome we measure is retention in care. Such a care model emphasizes starting and staying on buprenorphine using a low-barrier, patient-centered approach grounded in harm reduction principles. We will focus on strategies for serving highly vulnerable populations, including those who are unsheltered, use polysubstances, and/or have serious mental illness. We will highlight new strategies including microdosing, long acting injectables, and telemedicine.

CME Accredited

Greg Delaney, BS with Elizabeth Delaney

At this session we will explore substance use disorder as a chronic medical condition, its impact on the brain, the influence of trauma and opportunities for communities of faith to become better educated and certified to more effectively serve clients, congregants and their families impacted by substance use disorder.