Presenter(s): Sarah Kawasaki, PhD, Director of Addictions Services, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI) Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at Penn State Hershey Medical Center 

Target Audience: Physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, students and all interprofessional healthcare providers. 

Webinar Description: Alcohol is involved in over 20% of opioid-related overdose deaths, and co-occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD) significantly increases the risk of all-cause mortality among opioid use disorder (OUD) patients. Co-morbid opioid and alcohol use can be a potentially dangerous combination that can damage a person’s brain and body. Additionally, treating co-morbid opioid and alcohol use can lead to greater treatment complications compared to the treatment of either substance on its own. This webinar will discuss the use of medications and other integrated care strategies to improve treatment for co-morbid opioid and alcohol use disorders. 

Educational Objectives:

• Understand the prevalence and health risks of co-morbid opioid and alcohol use
• Identify treatment implications related to co-morbid opioid and alcohol use
• Examine the benefits of integrated care to treat co-morbid opioid and alcohol use
• Discuss strategies to support long-term recovery from co-morbid opioid and alcohol use

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.