Experts to Provide Positive Outcomes for 5 years of MAT within Department of Corrections; Will Also Provide Blueprint for Effectively Treating the Aging and Elderly in OTPs

CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, the largest non-profit, outpatient provider for opioid treatment in Rhode Island, today announced that it will be presenting at two sessions during the 2022 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) Conference to be held October 30 – November 3, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Hilton Inner Harbor.  The theme of this national and international Conference is “The Power of Collaboration. CODAC experts plan to highlight five-year outcomes for its innovative program of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) behind bars and provide a blueprint for treating the aging and elderly in opioid treatment programs (OTPs).  

“We are especially excited to be presenting at this annual meeting at such an important time when amazing work is being done to battle opioid use disorder, but, at the same time, risks are increasing – primarily product adulterants (fentanyl and others) and barriers to accessing quality care — that have resulted in increasing overdose and death,” said Linda Hurley, President/CEO of CODAC.  “We look forward to sharing our models, best practices and outcomes alongside some of the most cutting-edge topics and presenters in our field, nationally and internationally.”

CODAC’s presentations at AATOD 2022 will be as follows:

  • Tuesday, November 1, 2022 — 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Workshop: Patient Care & Best Practices 

1 – Effectively Treating the Aging and Elderly in Opioid Treatment Programs: A Comprehensive Model

Primary Presenter(s): Linda Hurley, MA CAGS, President and Chief Executive Officer, CODAC 

Co-Presenter(s): Andrew C. Stone, MD, Medical Director of CODAC Providence; Catherine DeGood, DO, Chief Medical Director for CODAC

From program/schedule: Opioid treatment programs have seen a dramatic increase in our aging populations, those who have been in recovery for decades with us and those who have developed a late onset opioid use disorder. The aging process creates a new challenge to comprehensive, integrated services for those who come to us for care. This presentation will provide a blueprint for a cost effective, health home program for aging patients addressing the medical, metabolic, cognitive, social, pharmacologic and fiscal changes that must be addressed to successfully support recovery for our older patients. 

  • Tuesday, November 1, 2022 — 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Workshop B: Community Partners & Continuum of Care

B5 – MAT (medication-assisted treatment) in Corrections: 5 Years of Increasing Success. A How-To and Why Story

Primary Presenter(s): Linda Hurley, MA CAGS, President and Chief Executive Officer, CODAC 

Co-Presenter(s): Rosemarie Martin, PhD, Associate Professor, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island; Justin Berk, MD MPH MBA, Medical Director, Rhode Island Department of Corrections, Providence, Rhode Island 

From program/schedule: Research indicates that the risk of overdose is increased following release from prison and jail. In 2014 and 2015, 21% of all fatal overdose victims in RI were incarcerated in the two years prior to death, an increase from 9% in 2009. Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is the most effective evidenced-based approach to treat opioid use disorder. Although MAT has been proven effective, few correctional facilities in the US offer treatment with methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone. This workshop provides positive outcomes of 5 years ~ the question is not “why or how” it is now “how soon” to treat. 

About AATOD 2022

The 2022 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) Conference will be held in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Hilton Inner Harbor, October 30 – November 3, 2022. The 2022 conference theme is “The Power of Collaboration.” The intent is to educate and promote acceptance and integration of MAT options by patients, families, clinicians, the medical system, judicial systems, government, policymakers, social service administrations, and the general public. For more information, visit https://www.eventscribe.net/2022/AATOD/

About CODAC Behavioral Healthcare

CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, a non-profit organization founded in 1971, is Rhode Island’s oldest and largest provider of outpatient services for opioid use disorder, other substance use disorders, and concurrent behavioral health challenges. With eight locations across Rhode Island, CODAC has attained Center of Excellence designations for each of its treatment sites. CODAC has done extensive work with individuals involved in the criminal justice system since 1994 and, in 2016, launched a program with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) that was the first of its kind in the United States to screen all inmates for opioid use disorder and provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for those in need. Results from CODAC’s RIDOC program have been studied and published, and the program has been recognized as “a model for all 50 states” by the Department of Justice, SAMHSA and multiple other national agencies.  In addition, CODAC is now licensed in Massachusetts to operate an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).  For more information about CODAC, visit: www.codacinc.org

Book An Appointment