DACS Digest November 2024

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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.

November 2024

Dear DACS Provider,

Autumn is here, and with its arrival comes plenty of opportunities to support providers in our community.

During National Nurse Practitioner Week (November 10 – 16), DACS is celebrating the vital role of the 385,000+ nurse practitioners (NPs) nationwide who deliver patient-centered care in hospitals, emergency departments, urgent care centers, nursing homes and private practices. As primary care providers, NPs play a crucial part in addressing substance use disorders, often serving as the initial point of contact for patients seeking treatment. DACS is proud to support these dedicated healthcare professionals in their efforts to combat substance use disorders and manage chronic pain for their patients, offering expertise and resources to enhance their life-changing work.

November is also National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, highlighting the intersectionality of the overdose epidemic and revealing the needs of individuals across all stages of life. Approximately 20% of adults 65 and over will experience mental health conditions, but despite these needs, less than 50% of older adults with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders receive treatment (1). A growing body of research also suggests that substance use, and related harms are becoming more prevalent for older adults compared to younger, including cigarette smoking and fatal opioid overdose rates (2, 3).

Explore this newsletter and the tools available on the DACS Website for additional information about provider education and treatment resources.

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

Additional Trainings of Interest

Grayken Center for Addiction Training & TA

Addiction 101

Thursday, November 21 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Alcohol Use as a Predictor of Intimate Partner Violence in Emerging Adulthood: A Dyadic Daily Diary Investigation

This convenience sample study, which pulled from alcohol using college-student couples at a Midwestern university in the United States, utilized a 60-day daily diary survey to assess whether alcohol use by both members of a relationship dyad would increase the odds of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to alcohol use by one or no dyad members. With daily surveys asking participants about the prior day's alcohol use and IPV perpetration and victimization, results found that the odds of psychological IPV perpetration and physical IPV victimization were higher when both partners were drinking relative to one partner drinking.

Incidence of Hospitalizations Involving Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in a Primary Care Population

In this cohort study, researchers sought to examine how often primary care patients in an integrated health system experience hospitalizations involving alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Using electronic health records and insurance claims of 544,825 adults, the study yielded findings showing AWS hospitalizations were especially common in male patients between 30 to 49 years old and individuals presenting a high-risk alcohol screening. In patients younger than 60 years old, AWS was as common or more common than complications stemming from other chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes and hypertension).

Semaglutide and Opioid Overdose Risk in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Opioid Use Disorder

A cohort study of 33,006 individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) built upon anecdotal reports of reduced drug cravings in individuals using semaglutide and empirical studies showing its therapeutic benefit to those with alcohol and nicotine use disorders. By observing health records from December 2017 to June 2023, researchers found that semaglutide was associated with a lower risk of opioid overdose during a 1-year follow-up from first prescription when compared with other antidiabetic medications.

Holidays and Observances

Holidays

DACS Phone Line Will Be Closed

November 28 – Thanksgiving

November 29 – Native American Heritage Day

December 25 – Christmas

January 1 – New Year's Day

November Observances

National Hospice and Palliative Care Month

National Nurse Practitioner Week

November 10 – 16

National Rural Health Day

November 21

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.

Buprenorphine Drug Assistance Program (BUP-DAP)

Designed to increase access to drugs used primarily in medication-assisted substance misuse treatment (Buprenorphine, Naltrexone, Suboxone, and Naloxone). When presented to participating pharmacies, it can cover medicine costs, co-pays, and pharmacy dispensing fees. Recipients will need to present a government issued photo ID.

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.

DC Center for Rational Prescribing (DCRx)

This learning portal provides information about medications and other therapeutic options. The DC Department of Health provides non-commercial, independent continuing education courses, free to ALL DC licensed healthcare professionals.

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