Description:
With their training in whole-person care, primary care providers are often the first providers to witness how addiction – to tobacco, alcohol, and other substances – complicates their patients’ mental and physical condition. Yet primary care providers often have many questions about how to manage substance use disorders (SUDs) in their health center practice. This eight-session Community of Practice (CoP) will guide HRSA-supported health center staff to integrate SUD services into their primary care setting. Grounded in the belief that addiction treatment is a fundamental part of whole-person care, CoP participants will learn from addiction medicine experts and health center colleagues about building shared language around addiction; forming a high-performing addiction/integration treatment team; evaluating and administering screening tools; next steps after a positive SUD screening; managing referrals; and sustaining their health center SUD program. This CoP will provide health centers the opportunity to learn about and exchange effective strategies to provide impactful, team-based addiction care.
Behavioral health professionals may earn one continuing education credit for attending each CoP session.
Objectives:
At the end of this CoP, participants will be able to:
- Apply communication techniques for discussing addiction with patients, colleagues, and co-providers.
- Outline how to create a high-performing addiction integration team.
- Evaluate processes for SUD screening, assessment, treatment, and referrals.
- Use a Plan, Do, Study, Act continuous process model to build sustainability into addiction integration programs.
1:00 – 2:00 PM ET Every other Thursday until February 5, 2026 (with a two-week holiday break)
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET optional office hours