Stop Stigma Now is excited to announce that we will be holding our5th Annual Virtual Recognition Event“Break the Silence” onTuesday December 3, 2024, at 12pm EST (9am PST) Join us in honoring Dr. Miriam Adelson and her accomplishments in the field of addiction. Dr. Yngvild Olsen will provide an overview of recent developments from the ..read more

Report-AATOD-State-Chapter-Responses-Mobile-Van-Responses ..read more

In the middle of the summer, Nora Volkow, M.D., medical director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), wrote a blog calling for methadone to be more available in the era of fentanyl. “People with an opioid use disorder (OUD) urgently need treatment not just to protect them from overdosing but also to help ..read more

Authors: Robert Baillieu, MD, MPH – Physician and Senior Advisor, The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Yngvild Olsen, MD, MPH – Director, CSAT, SAMHSA Patti Juliana, PhD – Division Director, The Division of Pharmacologic Therapies, CSAT, SAMHSA Disclaimer: The contents are those of the authors ..read more

The theme of the 2024 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) Conference, held May 18-May 22 in Las Vegas, was “Treating Opioid Use Disorder: So Much More Than Medication.” This is apt, considering the theoretical threat posed to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) by the MOTAA proposed legislation, which would allow private physicians to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD) and for patients to pick up their methadone at pharmacies. We call this a “theoretical” threat because it’s unlikely many patients would be served this way, just as when buprenor ..read more

Hurley award The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) will present Linda E. Hurley, President and CEO of CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, with its Nyswander-Dole Award to recognize her extraordinary work and service in the opioid treatment field.   The Nyswander/Dole “Marie” Award is the highest accolade AATOD can bestow on someone in recognition for having made significant contributions in the field of opioid use disorder treatment. Dr. Vincent Dole and Dr. Marie Nyswander, two pioneers in the research of medication-assisted treatment for a ..read more

Last month AT Forum lost its longtime writer Barbara Goodheart, an accomplished medical writer, suddenly. Below is a remembrance written by her husband Clyde. I recently told colleagues that I missed her so much, but could not remember the last conversation (of many) that we had, because as in so many things in life, I didn’t know it would be the last. In addition to everything Clyde writes, I would need to add this anecdote. Barbara loved nature and wrote about it with the clear-sightedness of some of the greatest nature writers, who never let sentiment overtake the reality of life. She autog ..read more

A COMMUNITY focused on treatment and recovery; unusual for an opioid treatment program, LESC in New York City is a lot more. There is residential treatment. The below is from the intake director there, released March 28. Thanks to Valerie Walters and all at LESC for keeping stigma at bay. At LESC, we understand the fear and uncertainty that can cloud the path to recovery. That’s why Sabrina Mangual, our dedicated Intake Coordinator, guides individuals every step of the way. Sabrina isn’t just an employee at LESC’s residential recovery treatment center; with over 25 years of experience, she’s a ..read more

National Council for Mental Wellbeing to Recognize Hurley During NatCon24, April 15-17 Everyone knows Linda Hurley, a pioneer in addiction treatment; her new integrated program about to launch in Rhode Island includes methadone, primary care, mental health treatment, and many other services. Below is an announcement of an upcoming award she is receiving. ATForum extends congratulations to this icon of the OTP world. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing will present Linda E. Hurley with its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her distinguished career. The National Council’s Lifet ..read more

By Robert Kent If you have lost someone to drug or alcohol use, my heart aches for you!  If you have not been impacted, I hope you never experience such a loss!   I have been impacted by such loss and it is a pain that never ends, one I wish on no one! That pain is felt by so many more every year as we are losing more than 100,000 individuals to drug overdose and we are losing more than 140,000 individuals to alcohol related causes! I love this country!  I have always believed that the United States is a place with a big heart and a helping hand.  I ..read more