January 6, 2025 - The Opioid Crisis in NJ. Live, Interactive Webinar (This Course is NBCC and ASWB Approved)

The goal of this interactive workshop will discuss the latest developments and trends regarding natural opiates, semi-synthetic opioids, and synthetic opioids.  Participants will be able to identify national and local NJ trends with regards to prescribing practices and new legislation, opioid overdoses and trends with opioid use.  Participants will be able to distinguish the difference between which drugs are considered naturally occurring opiates, which are considered semi-synthetic opioids and which are considered synthetic opioids.  Participants will be introduced into the assessment of and treatment of Opioid Use Disorders via the DSM 5 criteria, the latest nationally recognized medicated assisted treatment and the non-medication assisted treatment approaches when working with clients.  Participants will be able to identify three different medicated assisted treatments (MAT), and discussion of medicinal marijuana being added as an MAT option. Workshop participants will be introduced to a harm reduction treatment paradigm and will be able to identify at least 3 different harm reduction principles when working with clients.  Finally, workshop participants will engage in an interactive case that will develop throughout the workshop and have different objectives (e.g., assessing a proper level of care, and then incorporating a harm reduction treatment orientation with the client in regards to their MAT decision process).

1. Overview of the scheduling of controlled substances.
   

1. History of classifying/prohibiting opiates.
2. Defining Terminology:  natural opiates, semi-synthetic opioids, and synthetic opioids.
   

1. The history of prescription opioids.
2. Changes in prescribing practices (1990s)
3. National prescribing trends.
4. NJ prescription opioid law limiting first time prescriptions.
   

1. National overdose trends up until 2017 (CDC information).
2. Introduction to Narcan.
3. NJ specific opioid overdose and Narcan implementation trends.

1. History of Heroin and recent trends.
2. History of Fentanyl and recent trends.
3. Carfentanil, W-18, and other extremely potent opioids.
4. Cough Syrup with Codeine and Promethazine

1. Methadone and new medication guidelines.
2. Buprenorphine and new medication guidelines.
3. Naltrexone.
4. Medicinal marijuana as an MAT option?
   

1. DSM-5 Definition of Opioid Use Disorder
2. Exercise Diagnosing and Assessing a level of care of a person with an Opioid Use Disorder

1. History of Harm Reduction
2. Harm Reduction Principles
3. Types of Therapies Using Harm Reduction Principles (MI, CBT)
4. Interactive Exercise with a Client Using Harm Reduction Principles