Presenter(s): Charlie Reznikoff MD, FACP, FASAM is an addiction doctor and internist practicing in Minn. He treats medically complex hospitalized patients and has an outpatient opioid addiction and pain/addiction consultation practice. He practices at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis MN. He is also a member of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force; and Jennifer Byrne, LCSW, CADC, CCTP, Licensed Clinical Social Worker is a Behavioral Health Program Manager at the American Medical Association. She has specialty training in Addiction Counseling and Trauma Therapy.

Target Audience: This activity is designed for primary care physicians and specialty care physicians. 

Webinar Description: Fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses are an ongoing and worsening national epidemic. CDC data shows 107,000 drug overdose deaths nationally for 2021. In Minnesota, drug overdose deaths spiked 38% in a 12-month period from 2020 to 2021 and non-fatal overdoses increased 18% from 2019 to 2020. As we see the worsening and evolving nature of the overdose epidemic, it has become apparent that prescription opioids are no longer the primary contributor. Drugs such as Illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin are the primary drivers of the drug overdose epidemic. The State pf Minnesota is working hard to address the epidemic. This physician toolkit, presented by the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Providers Clinical Support System (PCSS) gives Minnesota physicians resources and tools to help prevent overdoses and overdose deaths, identify, and treat substance use and substance use disorder, practice harm reduction, understand safer opioid prescribing and learn about better care for pain. 

Educational Objectives:

• Describe current trends in the drug overdose epidemic both nationally and in Minnesota
• Utilize state and national tools and guidance to reduce harm for people taking opioids
• Identify educational resources to make pain treatment safer and more effective, emphasizing nonopioid and non-pharmaceutical treatments
• Discover resources for treatment of substance use disorders and recovery supports for people with opioid use disorder

Support for the Program:
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI081968 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.