PCSS-MOUD: Recovery Supports for Young People with Opioid Use Disorder (On-Demand)-Presentation

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This webinar discusses recovery supports for youth and young adults with opioid use disorder, emphasizing strategies beyond clinic-based treatment. The speaker, an addiction psychiatrist, highlights the critical developmental stage of adolescence and young adulthood, noting increased opioid misuse as youth transition into adulthood. Data reveal a high treatment need among 18–25-year-olds, but low treatment engagement rates, often due to stigma and lack of perceived need.<br /><br />The presentation covers three main areas of expanded recovery supports: family-based interventions, school-based programs, and peer support/mutual-help groups. Family involvement, through therapies like Multidimensional Family Therapy and Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), plays a key role in improving treatment entry and outcomes, even when youth are reluctant to engage. School supports include recovery high schools and collegiate recovery programs, which offer structured environments promoting abstinence and academic success. Higher school connectedness correlates with lower substance use.<br /><br />Mutual-help groups, including 12-step programs like AA and NA, offer peer-led support, with evidence showing active participation improves abstinence and reduces substance-related consequences. While challenges exist, such as adolescents’ discomfort with feelings of powerlessness and limited age-matched peers, these programs remain valuable.<br /><br />Overall, integrating family, school, and peer supports alongside medication-based treatments enhances recovery outcomes. Resources such as the PCSS MOUD Mentoring Program and Discussion Forum provide ongoing clinical support for providers treating youth opioid use disorder.

Keywords

youth opioid use disorder

recovery supports

family-based interventions

school-based programs

peer support groups

adolescent addiction treatment

multidimensional family therapy

recovery high schools

mutual-help groups