Description
Telehealth is a promising tool for treating substance use disorders (SUDs) and supporting recovery. Innovations in digital health, telemedicine, and other technology-assisted interventions have rapidly altered the SUD treatment landscape. Telehealth applied to SUD care has reduced barriers to services among individuals with limited access to traditionally delivered healthcare, increased efficiency of healthcare resource allocation, and extended care to communities that previously lacked specialty care resources. For example, smartphone apps have proliferated in the SUD arena, some with research-based evidence for their ability to deliver services, including contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and interactive therapeutic components. Disparities in access to telehealth remain, however; problems such as insufficient broadband, high cost of devices, discomfort with technology, and variations in regulations and reimbursement may hinder implementation and adoption of technology-based SUD services within communities that could benefit from these services. This symposium presents the scope of telehealth-based SUD treatments and describes their potential to augment existing evidence-based behavioral and pharmacological treatment interventions. Recent developments in technology-delivered SUD services, current gaps in the field, and areas for further research will be explored. Specifically, (1) Dr. Larissa Mooney will provide an introduction and overview of telehealth in SUD treatment and will describe barriers and implementation of telemedicine in rural settings as a means to expand access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder. (2) Dr. Lewei (Allison) Lin will review impacts of COVID-19 on SUD treatment via telehealth, regulatory and policy implications, and common clinical adaptations utilized during COVID-19 to deliver OUD and other SUD care via telemedicine. (3) Dr. Aimee Campbell will review use of digital technology in the treatment of SUDs and will describe findings from recent studies using smartphone- and tablet-based delivery of contingency management and adaptations to improve patient engagement. (4) Dr. Dawn Sugarman will then describe research that adapts digital interventions and integrates them into SUD treatment to tailor treatment and address the unique needs of women in SUD treatment.
Format
Recorded webinar.
This content was recorded during the APA 2023 Annual Meeting.
Learning Objectives
- At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to describe key changes in federal policies in the setting of COVID-19 and their impacts on SUD care utilization
- At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to identify two barriers to substance use disorder treatment access in rural communities that may be addressed using telemedicine.
- At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to describe adaptations in delivery of evidence-based behavioral treatment interventions for substance use disorders using smartphone apps.
- At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to recognize how digital interventions can be integrated into treatment to address the needs of women with substance use disorders.
Target Audience
Medical Students, Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, non-psychiatrist Physicians
Estimate Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours
Program Start Date: May 1, 2025
Program End Date: May 1, 2028
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Instructors
- Larissa Mooney, MD
- Lewei Lin, MD, MS
- Aimee Campbell, PhD
- Dawn Sugarman, PhD
Planners
- Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance