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Bringing DC healthcare providers the latest news, events, and resources to improve care for patients with substance use disorders and chronic pain management.
 

January 2025

Dear DACS Provider,


Happy New Year!


The first month of this year is a particularly important observance. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched the first-ever Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month. To learn more about medications for opioid use disorder and the effects of substance use in communities throughout DC, attend one of DACS's upcoming webinars this January:


This observance month seeks to support people contemplating or receiving help for their substance use, practitioners treating or considering treating substance use disorder, and friends, family, and loved ones of those with substance use conditions. By raising awareness of treatment, including medications to treat substance use disorders, SAMHSA hopes to eliminate stigma surrounding substance use disorders, encourage those on their treatment and recovery journeys, and promote best practices such as screening, intervention, and treatment of substance use disorders by healthcare providers.


In other news, as we approach Maternal Health Awareness Day on January 23, the DACS team acknowledges the importance of maternal health and the unique challenges faced by pregnant and postpartum individuals. We understand that substance use can significantly affect maternal health and the well-being of families.


Opioid, Stimulant, and Other Substance Use Disorders in Pregnant and Postpartum Patients, is a screening and resource guide, developed by researchers at the National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare at the MedStar Health Research Institute with funding from the State Opioid Response grant through the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health. The purpose of this guide is to provide evidence-based best practices and resources to aid in screening and treating opioid, stimulant, and other substance use disorders (henceforth referred to as SUDs) in pregnant and postpartum patients for healthcare providers who interact with pregnant patients in the District of Columbia.


Explore this newsletter and the additional resources and tools available on the DACS website for additional information about provider education and treatment resources. Together, we can improve maternal health outcomes.


Sincerely,

The DACS Team

 

Education
 

Upcoming DACS Trainings
 

PCSS-MOUD Half and Half Training hosted by DACS


Wednesday, January 29 | 12:00 –4:00 p.m.



Presented by DACS Medical Director Eric Weintraub, MD, and Consultant Jasleen Salwan, MD
Register
 

DACS Webinar: Management of Opioid Use disorder: Update on the Changing Clinical and Regulatory Landscape


Thursday, February 13th | 12:00 –1:00 p.m.


Presented by DACS Consultant, Devang Gandhi, MD

Additional Trainings of Interest
 

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Integrating Care: The Role of MOUD in Addressing Opioid Use Disorder and Infectious Disease


Wednesday, January 29 | 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Register

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Clinical Essentials on Increasing Motivation and Decreasing Stigma Among Youth With Substance Use Disorders


Prerecorded, virtual training
Register


Opioid Response Network

LGBTQ+ Affirming Treatment of Substance Use Disorders for Faculty



Prerecorded, virtual training
Register
 

Latest News & Research
 

Smartphone App-Based Contingency Management and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Outcomes


This cohort study of 600 individuals analyzed the use of smartphone app-based contingency management (CM) for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). The study found that patients who received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) plus an app-based CM reported fewer days of opioid use at the end of treatment and were more likely to stay in treatment longer than those who received MOUD only. The authors conclude that adding an app-based CM to MOUD may be a valuable tool for improving treatment outcomes for OUD.


Read more...

Drug Overdose Deaths Among Medicaid Beneficiaries


A recently published cross-sectional study using U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data from 2016 to 2020 revealed a concerning trend: Medicaid beneficiaries face a drug overdose death rate twice as high as the general U.S. population. In 2020, Medicaid beneficiaries, who comprised 25% of the U.S. population, accounted for 48% of all overdose deaths. Moreover, the rate of overdose deaths among Medicaid beneficiaries increased by 54% from 2016 to 2020. The results of this study suggest that more research is needed to understand why Medicaid beneficiaries have higher rates of drug overdoses than all US residents and how best to prevent overdoses among this population.


Read more...

The unmet mental health needs of U.S. adults living with chronic pain


This study analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey to address the assumption that individuals with mental health needs and chronic pain are less likely to access mental health treatment compared to those with mental health needs only. Researchers found that individuals with chronic pain are disproportionately affected by mental health conditions. Despite representing 20.4% of the U.S. adult population, they account for 55.5% of those with unremitted anxiety and depression. Additionally, only 44.4% of individuals with chronic pain receive adequate mental health treatment, compared to 71.5% of those without. Researchers advocate for prioritizing the mental health experiences and outcomes of individuals with chronic pain as a fundamental component of U.S. mental health policy.


Read more...

Holidays and Observances

Holidays


DACS Phone Line Will Be Closed


January 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

February 17 – Presidents' Day




January Observances


National CRNA Week

January 19 – 25

Maternal Health Awareness Day

January 23

Relevant Resources

DACS Fact Sheet: Adolescents and Substance Use


Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Disorders in Pregnant and Postpartum Patients

A screening and resource guide for healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers in the District of Columbia, prepared by the MedStar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare.


Opioid Use Disorder During and After Pregnancy

A patient resource guide on tips for a Healthy Pregnancy.


Care for the Caregiver

A guide for caregivers of pregnant and postpartum patients with opioid, stimulant, and other substance use disorders.


Pocket Guides for Safe Opioid Prescribing 

Contains a number of resources to providers, including: CDC guidelines for safe opioid prescribing, a Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) conversion chart, a checklist for prescribing opioids for chronic pain, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and additional resources for providers and patients.


The DC Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (DC PDMP) 

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) aims to improve the District’s ability to identify and reduce diversion of prescription drugs in an efficient and cost effective manner that will not impede the appropriate medical utilization of controlled substances. 


Live.Long.DC 

A coordinated multi-stakeholder approach to comprehensively address the opioid epidemic by sharing data, discussing initiatives and best practices, and identifying common approaches. The initiative is led by the DC Department of Behavioral Health with a goal of reducing opioid use, misuse, and opioid-related deaths in DC. For more information about Live.Long.DC strategies and initiatives, visit: https://livelong.dc.gov/
 

1-866-337-DACS (3227) | www.districtdacs.org | dacs@som.umaryland.edu
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District Addiction Consultation Service | 250 West Pratt St, Suite 750 | Baltimore, MD 21201 US

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