General Session

Policy & Science General Session - Methadone in the Modern Era

Saturday, April 6, 2024

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM

Presenter(s)

Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, DFAPA, DFASAM

Chief Medical Officer
Pathway Healthcare Services, LLC, Alabama
Yngvild K. Olsen, MD, MPH, DFASAM

Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Maryland

Slides
Aaron Ferguson, BSW

Methadone Liaison
National Survivors Union (NSU), Texas

Slides
Ruth A. Potee, MD, DFASAM

Medical Director
Behavioral Health Network, Massachusetts

Slides

Access to medication for addiction can save lives. However, for decades, stigmatizing regulations have imposed barriers to evidence-based addiction care. Is that about to change? In this session, experts will discuss the history of methadone in the US, latest policy updates and how changes will impact practices across the care continuum. Join the discussion to explore a future focused on patient-centered, individualized care and prepare yourself for the next era in methadone.

Learning Objectives:

Learners will be able to:

Describe the effect of structural factors related to methadone on rates of mortality and treatment access in the context of general healthcare for people who use drugs, and to do so from the perspective of community driven and participatory research and practice by and for the same.
Identify changes that can be made at your OTP that would improve retention in treatment for patients