• Understand the withdrawal process for opioids
• Feel competent calculating a Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS)
• Identify some treatment options for withdrawal management

Amelia Hersey, PA-C, is the lead physician assistant with the Community Care and Geriatrics team at Penobscot Community Healthcare, working in skilled nursing and long-term care for the past 8 years. Also, she has been the lead provider for the New Horizons Detox Unit in Hampden (a ten-bed withdrawal management unit for acute opioid and alcohol withdrawal) since it opened in 2018. She began combining these two fields in 2018 by treating patients in skilled rehab and long-term care facilities who are on medication for opioid use disorder.

• Contact Hours 1 contact hours for social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, and behavioral health professionals.
• 1 Category 1 Contact hours for psychologists. CCSME is a pre-approved sponsor and provider of Professional Education Activities for Psychologists.
• 1 contract hours CHES. CCSME is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
• 1 contact hours for Alcohol and Drug Counselors pending approval by the Maine Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors

CCSME is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Northeast Multistate Division Education Unit, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This course is self-paced and the estimated time to complete is approximately 60 minutes. In addition to viewing a 50-minute video presentation, learners must earn a score of 80% or higher on a post-assessment and complete the post evaluation to receive contact hours or CME credits for completing the course. Supplemental course materials (i.e. pdf of slides) are also provided.

The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education designates this regularly scheduled series for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This course qualifies for 1 credits of the 3 CME credit requirement for opioid medication education found in P.L. 2015, Chapter 488, Maine’s legislation to address the opioid drug crisis.

Estimated Time to Complete: 60 minutes (includes viewing recording, and completing both the quiz and evaluation)
Registration Fee: FREE for Maine Clinicians
CME Credits Offered: 1

• Computer with Internet connection.
• Current version of Chrome, Firefox or Safari browser.
• You must have javascript enabled.
• The quiz tools thin the online modules are not fully compatible with smartphones or tablets. In order to avoid issues, such as answers not being recorded, we recommend using a computer to complete the pre- and post-tests.

At the end of the course, there is a post-test, and you will have as many attempts as needed to earn a grade of 80% or higher to receive contact hours or CME credit. The survey to evaluate the course at the conclusion is also required to receive credit.