Webinar: Addressing the Opioid Crisis
On Thursday, August 30, at 2:00 p.m., join the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) for a free webinar to discuss an interprofessional approach to the opioid crisis.
The speakers, Patricia J. Ohtake, PhD, PT, (University at Buffalo) and Dr. Wendy E. Braund, MD, MPH, MSEd, (University of Pittsburgh, will share remarks on designing and implementing collaborative strategies in response to the opioid epidemic. Specifically, the webinar will cover:
- Interprofessional approaches at the University at Buffalo and University of Pittsburgh that prepare students to address the opioid epidemic
- Opportunities and resources related to opioid prevention and treatment for interprofessional education and collaborative practice
- Lessons learned in the prevention and treatment of opioid abuse for future application.
For more information and to register for the event, please visit the IPEC website.
Why is this topic important?
Addressing the opioid crisis is a critical issue for the PA profession. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA) provides a time-limited opportunity for PAs to qualify for a Drug Enforcement Administration waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorder. See resources and information from PAEA about MAT waiver training for PA educators.
CARA requires PAs to participate in 24 hours of training divided into two components. The first component is the 8-hour waiver training required by the Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA 2000) for physician prescribers. CARA also requires PAs to complete an additional 16 hours of training provided by any of the sponsoring organizations designated by DATA 2000.
The 8-hour training component presents an ideal opportunity for programs to engage in interprofessional education (IPE), as these are presented by health systems, professional medical organizations, and medical education programs. Dates, times, locations and formats for the training are available online.
