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ASAM Practice Pearls

ASAM Practice Pearls

Written by: ASAM Education
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 Join ASAM Practice Pearls for in-depth discussions on addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery. Geared toward healthcare professionals and individuals seeking knowledge, this series explores the latest evidence-based approaches to addiction medicine. Listen to interviews with leading experts as they delve into critical topics and share practical tools you can use to improve patient care and promote public health.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Overdose Awareness: Preventing, Responding, and Intervening

    Overdose Awareness: Preventing, Responding, and Intervening
    Aug 31 2025
    In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, the Season 1 finale of ASAM Practice Pearls explores recent trends in overdoses. Drs. Stephen Taylor and Alexander Walley discuss the increase of fentanyl and other contaminants in the drug supply, the impact of racial and geographic disparities, and the importance of community-specific responses. They highlight the value of compassionate overdose care, data-driven interventions, and strategies to help individuals post-overdose. Together, they discuss the need to lower barriers to treatment and foster future leaders in addiction medicine. ----more---- Looking for this episode's transcript? Download it HERE We want to hear from you! Please take our short, five-minute survey HERE or email us at education@asam.org. Host Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, DFAPA, DFASAM Dr. Stephen M. Taylor is ASAM's President and is board-certified in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine. With over 30 years of practice experience, Dr. Taylor is dedicated to helping adolescents and adults overcome addiction and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. He has served as the Medical Director of the NBA and NBPA Player Assistance and Anti-Drug Program for 16 years and is the Chief Medical Officer of Pathway Healthcare, which operates multiple outpatient addiction and mental health treatment offices across six states.  Expert Alexander Y. Walley, MD, MSc, DFASAM  Dr. Alexander Y. Walley is Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, primary care physician and addiction specialist at Boston Medical Center focused on the medical complications of substance use, specifically HIV and overdose. He leads research studies on overdose prevention and the integration of addiction specialty care and general medical care. He is a founder of Boston Medical Center’s inpatient addiction consult service and walk-in substance use care bridge clinic. Dr. Walley was a founding director of the Grayken Addiction Medicine Fellowship and is the president of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine. He serves as the medical director for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, the Overdose Prevention Program, and the SafeSpot Overdose Prevention Hotline. 📖 Show Segments 00:05 - Introduction 00:17 - Epidemiology and Geographical Areas of Concern 07:15 - Racial, Geographic, and Socioeconomic Disparities08:58 - Contaminants in the Drug Supply Affect Overdose Response13:03 - Engaging Patients with Post-Overdose Care18:18 - Approaching Conversations About Overdose Risk23:42 - Tools for Overdose Prevention26:19 - Policy, Protocols, and Treatment Innovationsr30:41 - Training the Next Generation33:23 - Final Thoughts on the Overdose Crisis34:05 - Conclusion and Additional Learning Opportunities 📋 Key Takeaways Understand the Evolving Nature of the Opioid Epidemic: The overdose crisis has progressed through distinct waves, from prescription opioids, to heroin, to fentanyl, and now to increasingly complex combinations with stimulants and synthetic substances. Address Racial, Ethnic, and Geographic Disparities: Marginalized populations and rural communities often face greater risk and reduced access to prevention, harm reduction, and treatment resources, requiring intentional, equity-focused interventions. Respond to Emerging Drug Supply Contaminants: The presence of non-opioid substances like xylazine complicates overdose response, as naloxone may not reverse all effects, requiring expanded training and protocols for responders. Promote Compassionate Overdose Response: In the event of an overdose, the priority is to restore breathing quickly and safely. Use only the amount of naloxone necessary and offer supportive, nonjudgmental care throughout the recovery process. Encourage Practical Overdose Prevention Strategies: Most fatal overdoses occur when people use alone. Help patients develop practical safety plans, such as not using alone, developing safety plans, using drug checking tools, and maintaining access to naloxone to reduce overdose risk. Leverage Real-Time Data for Community Action: Tools like OD Map and CDC dashboards provide real-time insights that can help inform timely, targeted community responses to emerging overdose patterns. Lower Barriers to Evidence-Based Treatment: Expanding access to care through same-day treatment, low-barrier programs, and integrated support services, such as housing, education, and employment, helps improve outcomes and reduce overdose deaths. Remove Barriers to Treatment and Support Systems: Expanding access to care, integrating social supports, and investing in workforce development, including training future addiction medicine leaders, are important for sustainable progress. 🔗 Resources The ASAM Principles of Addiction Medicine (Seventh Edition): The Harm Reduction Approach to ...
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    35 mins
  • Perinatal Substance Use Care: Listening, Trust, and Treatment

    Perinatal Substance Use Care: Listening, Trust, and Treatment
    Aug 18 2025
    In this episode of ASAM Practice Pearls, Dr. Stephen Taylor and Dr. Cara Poland explore the unique challenges of perinatal substance use care. They discuss the impact of stigma, the importance of compassionate care, and the use of medications for addiction treatment in pregnancy. Additionally, they address polysubstance use, physiological changes during pregnancy, and the critical postpartum period, sharing insights from their clinical experience and emphasizing a patient-centered, non-judgmental approach to improve treatment outcomes for mothers. ----more---- Looking for this episode's transcript? Download it HERE We want to hear from you! Please take our short, five-minute survey HERE or email us at education@asam.org. Host Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, DFAPA, DFASAM Dr. Stephen M. Taylor is ASAM's President and is board-certified in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine. With over 30 years of practice experience, Dr. Taylor is dedicated to helping adolescents and adults overcome addiction and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. He has served as the Medical Director of the NBA and NBPA Player Assistance and Anti-Drug Program for 16 years and is the Chief Medical Officer of Pathway Healthcare, which operates multiple outpatient addiction and mental health treatment offices across six states.  Expert Cara Poland, MD, MEd, FACP, DFASAM  Dr. Cara Poland is ASAM’s Vice President, is board-certified in Addiction Medicine, and is a faculty member at Michigan State University. In 2018, Dr. Poland identified the need to strengthen our country’s Addiction Medicine workforce. Dr. Poland leads MI CARES, which trains physician-level addiction specialists in Michigan and across the country. The program also teaches physicians-in-training, resident physicians, social work students, social work practitioners, APRNs, and PAs. Her didactic program involves purposeful education to train healthcare providers to treat persons with SUDs in a kind, compassionate, destigmatized way. Dr. Poland has a special interest in treating pregnant people and their families living with a substance use disorder. 📖 Show Segments 00:05 - Introduction 00:15 - New York Times Excerpt 03:07 - Substance Use and Overdose Risk During Pregnancy04:07 - Addressing Stigma in Addiction Treatment19:18 - Effective Support Systems for Pregnant People with Addiction13:56 - Medication for Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy18:00 - Postpartum Care and Overdose Risk27:06 - Polysubstance Use and Alcohol Use Disorder33:38 - Key Takeaways35:10 - Conclusion and Additional Learning Opportunities 📋 Key Takeaways Recognize Pregnancy as a Motivator for Change: Pregnancy can inspire individuals to seek help and begin recovery. Leveraging this motivation through empowering, respectful care can improve outcomes for both parent and baby. Understand Vulnerability in Substance Use: Addressing underlying vulnerabilities that often contribute to substance use, such as trauma, mental health conditions, and social factors, through compassionate care is essential to supporting recovery. Foster Trust by Reducing Stigma: Creating nonjudgmental healthcare environments, along with respectful, supportive patient-provider relationships, encourages engagement and improves treatment outcomes. Promote Evidence-Based Treatment During Pregnancy: Medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders are safe and effective during pregnancy. Addressing misinformation and normalizing these treatments can help improve access and reduce harm. Normalize Return to Use as Part of Recovery: Recovery is rarely linear. Approaching return to use with empathy, as a step in the process, encourages long-term engagement and helps reduce shame. Deliver Empathic, Individualized Care: Active listening, empathy, and individualized care planning help build trust, deepen understanding, and guide effective, patient-centered interventions. Implement Team-Based Support: Pregnant individuals with substance use disorders often face complex medical, social, and behavioral health challenges. Coordinated, interdisciplinary care is essential for addressing these needs holistically. 🔗 Resources ASAM’s Clinical Tips Microlearning Video Series: Women and Addiction Engaging Families and Care Providers in Women’s SUD TreatmentSubstance Use Among Aging WomenPregnancy and Substance Use DisordersDressing Motivated Behaviors in Women with SUD ASAM’s Women and Addiction Education and Resources: Explore HERE Patient-Centered Care for Women with Substance Use Disorders – Online Course Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women with Opioid Use Disorder and Their Infants: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 18-5054. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2018. Your Words Matter – Language Showing Compassion and Care for Women, ...
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    37 mins
  • Listening First: The Future of Women's Addiction Treatment

    Listening First: The Future of Women's Addiction Treatment
    Aug 4 2025
    In this episode of ASAM Practice Pearls, Dr. Peter Selby and Dr. Hendree Jones discuss the importance of implementing gender-responsive and trauma-informed care in addiction treatment. They offer insights on recognizing trauma in patients, creating safer treatment environments, addressing gender-specific treatment gaps, and emphasizing the importance of language and empathy in clinical practice. Together, they highlight the positive impact that a compassionate and inclusive approach can have on patient care and treatment outcomes. ----more---- Looking for this episode's transcript? Download it HERE We want to hear from you! Please take our short, five-minute survey HERE or email us at education@asam.org. Host Peter Selby, MBBS, CCFP(AM), FCFP, FASAM Dr. Peter Selby is a Senior Scientist and Senior Medical Consultant at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Vice-Chair, Research, and Giblon Professor in Family Medicine at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on innovative methods to understand and treat addictive behaviors and their comorbidities. He utilizes technology to scale and test health interventions, with his cohort of over 400,000 treated smokers in Ontario serving as an example. Dr. Selby has received over $100 million in grant funding from CIHR, NIH, and the Ministry of Health and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles. His most recent research program utilizes a Learning Health Systems approach to investigate how technology-equitable, collaborative care can enhance the delivery of evidence-based interventions to the patient while providing a more satisfying care experience for patients and providers across systems. Expert Hendree Jones, PhD Dr. Hendree Jones is a licensed psychologist and an internationally recognized expert in the development and examination of both behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for pregnant women and their children in risky life situations. She was the Division Director of UNC Horizons for a decade and, in May of 2023, stepped into a Senior Advisor role for Horizons to take on several national policy and international policy projects. Expertscape ranks Dr. Jones as a top world expert in neonatal abstinence syndrome and opioid-related disorders. She has received continuous National Institutes of Health funding since 1994 and has written more than 350 publications. Dr. Jones has also authored two books, one on treating patients for substance use disorders and the other on comprehensive care for women who are pregnant and have substance use disorders. She has also written multiple textbook chapters on the topic of pregnancy and addiction, as well as 17 courses for adult learners on topics of substance use disorder treatment (WISE, CHILD, PEERS, ALLIES, etc.). Dr. Jones has co-authored multiple national and international guidelines on the topic of caring for pregnant and post-pregnant patients with substance use disorders and their children, including those published by the WHO, SAMHSA, and ASAM. She also co-authored both the women’s and children’s section of the UN International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders and the UN guidelines on prevention and treatment for girls and women. In 2020, Dr. Jones won the ASAM R. Brinkley Smithers and Distinguished Scientist Award. In 2024, she won the MED Brady-Schuster Division 28 American Psychological Association award for lifetime achievement for contribution to addiction science. She consults for the UN and the WHO and is a member of the NIH’s HEAL multidisciplinary working group and the Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health. Dr. Jones has been involved in over 43 projects around the world focused on improving the lives of children, women, and families. 📖 Show Segments 00:05 - Introduction 01:09 - Patient Story: The Impact of Trauma on Women with Addictions03:34 - Principles of Gender Responsive and Trauma-Informed Care05:41 - Language and Communication in Addiction Treatment08:06 - Challenges and Solutions in Implementing Trauma-Informed Care17:17 - Biological and Gender Differences in Addiction17:30 - Addressing Treatment Gaps for Women in Addiction Care23:56 - Practical Steps for Trauma-Informed Care in Clinical Practice27:08 - Conclusion and Additional Learning Opportunities 📋 Key Takeaways Implement Trauma-Informed Care: Trauma plays a significant role in women's addiction, requiring a trauma-informed approach to care that considers not just the events but also the lasting effects and individual experiences of trauma.Create Safe, Supportive Environment: Fostering a safe, transparent, and non-punitive environment is crucial for effective trauma-informed care. This includes considering physical surroundings, psychological safety, and the overall treatment environment to create a more welcoming and less anxiety-inducing environment.Use Respectful, Non-Stigmatizing Language: The language used by providers can significantly impact the ...
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    29 mins
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