ME SUD Learning Community’s 2nd Annual Conference, Saving Lives: Working Together to Improve SUD and OUD Care & Outcomes, is Maine’s foremost opportunity for clinicians and community partners to hear updates on state-of-the-art collaborative practices for treating persons with Substance Use and Opioid Use Disorders (SUD/OUD). Featuring various state and national experts, this conference will outline and explore highly effective models and low/no barrier practices to address the current lethality of fentanyl and the epidemic of drug overdose deaths. Join us to learn practical means to integrate these methodologies into practice, whether in primary care or behavioral health and working with youth or adults.
Thomas College and on Zoom | March 15,2024 | 8:00AM- 3:30PM
CMEs and other contact hours offered. See the registration page or below for more information.
This activity includes topics recommended by the DEA and SAMHSA to satisfy 2023 MATE Act requirements. This activity qualifies for 3 credit(s) 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.
Keynotes
What's in Our Illicit Drug Supply Across the Country and Maine
Presenter: Nabarun Dasgupta, Ph.D, MPH Senior Scientist, UNC Injury Prevention Research Center Innovation Fellow
An overview of the US drug supply, including trends and novel substances. This presentation will also explore harm reduction drug checking.
The Short Game and the Long Game are Both Life-Saving: State-of-the-Art Strategies in Caring for Opioid Use Disorder
Presenter: Stephen Martin, MD Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
Highly lethal opioids such as fentanyl have changed the opioid use disorder (OUD) landscape, and traditional OUD treatment options are not keeping up with the risks of opioid use. Dr. Stephen Martin will outline how new treatment models that offer swift and effective options for treatment have been shown to result in better outcomes for an increased number of patients.
Building a System to Sustain Great Care
Presenter: R. Corey Waller, MD, MS, FACEP, DFASAM Editor in Chief of the 4th edition of The ASAM Criteria & Chief Medical Officer of BrightView Health
How a Healthcare System and Its Partners Can Work Together to Build a Continuum of Care
Eric Haram, LADC, Facilitator, ME SUD LC Faculty; Glen Gordon, BA, CADC Outreach Clinician – Oxford County OPTIONS PROGRAM; Christina Booth, RN, BSN, Nurse Director, Emergency Services, Stephens Western Family Medicine; Lisa Miller, MD Western Maine Comprehensive Addiction Medicine Program, Western Maine Primary Care; Kari Taylor Director of Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative and the HILLS Recovery Center; Jennifer Small, MSEd, LADC, CCS Agency Director/Clinical Supervisor/Counselor Common Ground Counseling
Building a continuum of care can improve outcomes for patients but requires strategic forethought and planning. Partners from Stephens Memorial Hospital will provide a case presentation to highlight the continuum of care in action and explore what can be achieved through cooperation. Learn from their firsthand experience establishing this system of care and explore the necessary tools and methodologies to incorporate these principles into any practice.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Equity within Treatment and Recovery
Vonzell Wade PhD, LPC Co-founder of Lost Dreams Awakening
Explore the critical topic of addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and promoting equity within treatment and recovery programs for adults and adolescents in rural communities. Delve into the multifaceted challenges faced by rural populations, understand how SDOH impacts their health outcomes, and discover evidence-based strategies and best practices to tailor treatment approaches effectively. Gain valuable insights into the importance of addressing SDOH, practical approaches to implementing change, and a deeper appreciation for the unique challenges and opportunities within rural healthcare settings
Breakouts
Methadone and OTP Treatment in the Age of Fentanyl
Faciltator: Jacquelyn Cyr, RN, MSN, NPc Director of Substance Use Services at Northern Light Acadia Hospital
Contingency Management for the Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorder
Contingency management (CM) is a behavioral strategy that has over 30 years of research support for the treatment of individuals addicted to cocaine and/or methamphetamine. As there are no approved medications or other behavioral approaches with strong evidence of support, CM is currently the only evidence-based approach for treating people with stimulant use disorder. This presentation will describe CM and some current efforts in Maine to disseminate this critically important strategies.
Facilitator: Eric Haram, LDAC Facilitator, ME SUD LC Faculty; Joshua McQueen, LCSW, LADC, CCS Spurwink; Leah Bauer, MD MaineHealth Addiction Resource Center; Christine Wyman, LCSW, LADC, CCSMaineHealth Addiction Resource Center; Richard Rawson, PhD Professor Emeritus at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and a Research Professor at the Vermont Center for Behavior and Health at the University of Vermont
How to Build Your Culture to Eliminate Bias/Stigma and Develop Effective Quality Improvement Processes
Facilitator: Navneet Marwaha, MD, FHM Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of Northern Light Health
How to Engage Youth in Treatment
Facilitator: Sarah Bagley, MD, MSc Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine
Supporting Optimal Outcomes for Families Affected by SUD
Facilitators: Alane O’Connor, DNP Director of perinatal addiction medicine at Maine Medical Center and Medical Advisor of the Maine Maternal Opioid Misuse (MaineMOM); Amanda Thompson, CPRC, CIPSS Person in Recovery; Deborah Hagler, MD MaineHealth; Representative from OCFS
Continuing Medical Education
This activity includes topics recommended by the DEA and SAMHSA to satisfy 2023 MATE Act requirements.
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Maine Medical Education Trust and CCSME. The Maine Medical Education Trust is accredited by the Maine Medical Association Committee on Continuing Medical Education and Accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Maine Medical Education Trust designates this conference for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This activity qualifies for up to 3 credit(s) 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.
Contact Hours
This program constitutes 6 hours of training through AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc. for the following credentials:
AdCare Educational Institute is a National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) approved education provider. Provider #62201 6 Hours of Continuing Education
AdCare Educational Institute, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. AdCare Educational Institute, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 6 hours of continuing education. Partial credit will not be issued.
Social Workers: The Board of Social Workers Licensure does not pre-approve continuing education. Retain a copy of certificate issued and training agenda to provide to the Maine State Board of Social Workers. Provision of these two documents is necessary for the Board of Social Workers to issue continuing education credit.
Licensed Counselors: The Maine State Board of Counseling Professionals does not pre-approve continuing education. Retain a copy of certificate issued and training agenda to provide to the Maine State Board of Counseling Professionals. Provision of these two documents is necessary for the Board of Counseling Professionals to issue continuing education credit.
Deborah Hagler, MD, MPH FAAP has practiced pediatrics in Brunswick, Maine for the last 26 years. She attended Cornell Medical College and did her pediatric training at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In 2021 she completed a Master of Public Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University focusing on child and adolescent mental health and substance use. Dr. Hagler is currently pracitces at Mid Coast Hospital and is the immediate past President of the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and continues to serve on its executive committee. She led the TREAT Me learning Collaborative for the Maine AAP Chapter focusing on Managing Adolescent Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care. She has been the recipient of several Community Builder Awards from the local United Way. She is currently serving as a core team member of the Sagadahoc Working Community Challenge Team funded by the Boston Federal reserve focusing on systems change at a community level to address youth depression as a barrier to achieving full potential and employment.
Amanda Thompson is a person in long term recovery from substance use challenges who has used her lived experience to support others navigating care and seeking wellness as a Certified Peer Recovery Coach and Certified Intentional Peer Support Specialist.
Christine is a clinical social worker with an extensive background working with adults who struggle with serious and persistent mental illness and addiction disorders. Her clinical work includes crisis intervention, therapy for adults with psychosis, and substance use disorder counseling. Currently Christine is a Clinical Director at Maine Behavioral Healthcare & Mid Coast Hospital. In this role, Christine continues to do clinical work, primarily focusing on adults with active addiction.
Leah Bauer, MD is a board certified physician in psychiatry and addiction medicine, and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She is currently the Senior Medical Director of Behavioral Health for Mid Coast-Parkview Hospital with MaineHealth. Dr. Bauer completed medical school at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and residency at Mass General Hospital/McLean Hospital. Dr. Bauer provides clinical care to patients with co-occurring disorders through Mid Coast Hospital’s Addiction Resource Center, the MaineMOM program, and in the primary care setting. Through her work with MaineHealth over the past 10 years, she has sought to improve the care of underserved patients through the development of innovative programs and collaborations across the health care system.
Corey Waller, MD, MS, FACEP, DFASAM is board-certified in emergency and addiction medicine with extensive experience at the local, state, and national levels. He is involved with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and related organizations to advance the evidence-based practice of treatment and recovery for individuals affected by addiction. A nationally recognized expert in substance use disorder (SUD), he is editor in chief of The ASAM Criteria®. Dr. Waller also currently serves on ASAM’s legislative advocacy committee. He has been involved with ASAM in numerous other capacities including as a member of the public policy coordinating council, finance committee, and planning committees for various ASAM education courses. Dr. Waller is chief medical officer at BrightView Health, where he oversees medical team education, practice standards, and care delivery. By actively engaging and leading BrightView’s physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, he drives service quality, care integration, and the delivery of consistent patient outcomes. Prior to joining BrightView, Dr. Waller was managing director of the HMA Institute on Addiction, where he was responsible for consultation and development of addiction treatment systems for hospitals, primary care practices, justice-involved populations, and addiction treatment providers. His experience also includes serving as senior medical director for education and policy at the National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs and medical staff chief of pain medicine at Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, MI. Additionally, he oversaw the development of core competencies for addiction treatment in the labor and delivery unit and the neonatal abstinence syndrome treatment algorithm for the Level 1 neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Waller earned his master’s degree in biology, with a neuro-molecular focus at Southwest Texas State University, and his medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Kari Taylor is the Executive Director of the Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative (WMARI). With a deeply personal understanding of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and a journey of long-term recovery, Kari’s leadership is fueled by passion, resilience, and a commitment to transforming lives. Having dedicated most of her career to healthcare and public health, Kari found a calling in leading WMARI, embracing the exciting challenges it brings. Her mission is clear: to dismantle the stigma surrounding SUD, educate the public, advocate for change, and foster a sense of community that uplifts individuals in both active addiction and recovery. Under her guidance since July 2021 and with the support of the organization’s Board of Directors, WMARI has flourished, securing substantial funding and significantly expanding its services. The greatest achievement came with the opening of The HILLS Recovery Center in April 2023, a testament to WMARI’s vision and determination. As the first paid staff member of WMARI, Kari has paved the way for growth, now overseeing a team of two full-time individuals in recovery and numerous volunteers. Her approach is not just administrative; it’s deeply personal. Kari frequently shares her own journey with addiction and recovery, breaking down barriers of shame and offering hope to those who may feel isolated in their struggles. For Kari, success is measured not just in numbers but in lives transformed and communities united. With unwavering support from the community, she continues to advocate for increased access to treatment, sober living, and essential support services, hoping to create a brighter future for individuals and families affected by addiction.
Dr. Marwaha, MD, FHM, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Northern Light Health. In her role, Dr. Marwaha oversees quality and patient safety for the system, providing vision and strategic direction for quality initiatives for all Northern Light member organizations. She is passionate about process and systems improvement with the goal of supporting clinical teams to help deliver the highest quality of care. Dr. Marwaha also recognizes the importance of a positive healthcare experience for Northern Light patients.
Jacquelyn A. Cyr is the Director of Substance Use Services at Northern Light Acadia Hospital She began working at Northern Light Acadia Hospital in 1998. With a background in emergency medicine, she was initially hired to work in ECT. Since that time, she has worked within several other service areas, in Education and primary care, and has served as Hepatitis-C nurse practitioner and has held various administrative positions since 2014 when she began working with the substance use service. Jackie serves on the Opioid Advisory Council for the state of Maine, is a member of the Bangor Area Clinical Substance Use Workgroup, TARA ECHO participant and presenter, Preventative Prescription Drug/Opioid Overdose-Related Death (PDO), and a member of the Institute for Health Improvement Leadership Alliance. Jackie holds a Master’s of Science degree in Nursing from Husson University and is certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Dr. Sarah Bagley is a primary care physician at Boston Medical Center. A graduate of the Georgetown University School of Medicine, the Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency at Brown University, and the Boston University Addiction Medicine Fellowship, her particular research interests are in the treatment of opioid use disorders in the adolescent and young adult population and the involvement of the family in addiction care. She sees patients in both General Internal Medicine and the Adolescent Center. She is the Medical Director of the CATALYST (Center for Addiction Treatment for Adolescents/Young adults who use Substances) Clinic – a clinical program to provide integrated medical and behavioral health care for adolescents and young adults who use substances – and an Attending on the inpatient Addiction Consult Service.
Christina Booth, RN, BSN is the Nurse Director Emergency Services at Stephens Western Family Medicine. She graduated from Simmons College in 2004 with her second BS, which was in nursing. She has worked in a variety of settings, but mostly Emergency Medicine. Her nursing career started at Massachusetts General Hospital where she worked 2005-2019. She came to Stephens Memorial Hospital per diem in the Emergency Department in 2016 and has worked there since. She took over as the Nursing Director in September of 2019. She is the Treasurer for the Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative and she is an advocate and ally for those with Substance Use Disorder. Recovery is possible and communities are key in making recovery possible!
Eric Haram is owner of Haram Consulting LLC, whose aim is to improve community health and safety from the impact of substance use disorders, by providing consulting and technical assistance in the areas of strategic planning, workforce development and systems improvement for States, Counties and Organizations. Eric has 30 years experience delivering, designing, and directing substance use treatment services in hospitals, correctional facilities, court systems and community behavioral health centers. Haram Consulting, LLC provides consultation in 11 states, from California to West Virginia, including his home state of Maine where he directs behavioral health services for York Hospital.
Dr. VonZell Wade is an Advanced Implementation Specialist (AIS) with the Opioid Response Network (ORN), and the Co-Founding Director of Lost Dreams Awakening (LDA) Recovery Community Organization in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Dr. Wade is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the owner of Luo Counseling Center, Lower Burrell, PA. Dr. Wade is a life-long resident of the community where he graduated from Valley High School, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services; and continued his education at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, where he earned his Master of Science in Education and his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Dr. Wade is a life-Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), a Recovery Coach Trainer of Trainers (TOT) and an adjunct faculty member of Faces and Voices of Recovery, Washington, DC. Dr. Wade is also the co-developer of Pennsylvania’s Peer Recovery Support Workforce (PRSW) Program – a six-week curriculum developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis PRSW. Dr. Wade has provided care and trainings in the realm of drug and alcohol and mental health for several decades; serving both the adult and adolescent population. Dr. Wade is a person in active, ongoing, long-term recovery, established in 1991, and he has been an active participant in various recovery pathways, self-help, and change groups.
Lisa Miller, MD is a Family Medicine physician with 20 years of experience in primary care. In 2022 she completed a fellowship in Addiction Medicine after five years of practicing integrated medication assisted treatment (IMAT) for opioid use disorder and finding it to be the most gratifying aspect of her practice. She currently is the medical director the Comprehensive Addiction Medicine (CAM) program embedded in Western Maine Primary Care (affiliated with Stephen’s Memorial Hospital) and is board certified in both addiction medicine and family medicine. Aside from her clinical work she is actively engaged in research that addresses the importance of harm reduction as well as stigma through outreach and education to the local and greater community.
Glenn is a person in long term recovery from substance use disorder and mental illness. Glenn began working with Oxford County Mental Health Services for the Overdose Prevention Through Intensive Outreach Naloxone and Safety (OPTIONS) program in November 2020. Glenn is the Board Director for River Valley Recovers Strong, a grass roots organization supporting recovery in northern Oxford County through a variety of activities including an annual winter Recovery Rally. Glenn also serves on the board of the Mountain Recovery Network, which is working to establish and sustain new recovery resources in western Maine starting with opening a women’s recovery residence which will open in 2024.
Erik Steele, D.O. is a family physician practicing family medicine primary at the nonprofit primary care and insurance company Martins Point Health Care. He is also the immediate past president of the Maine Medical Association. He has practiced primary care for more than 30 years, and emergency medicine in rural Maine hospitals for more than 20 years. He has served in several leadership roles in healthcare, including as chief medical officer of two large integrated delivery systems, CEO of a rural Maine hospital, and ED administrator for a large tertiary hospital. He has led and participated in numerous collaboration projects between different specialty areas of the health care delivery system, including between emergency medicine and occupational medicine, emergency medicine and primary care. He was a medical columnist for the Bangor Daily New for 17 years, and has written and presented frequently on a broad range of health care topics. Dr Steele is a graduate of Bowdoin College, and the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He did a rotating osteopathic internship at Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Stratford, New Jersey, and his family medicine residency at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine. He is board certified in family medicine. He is a recipient of the UNECOM Pioneer of Osteopathic Medicine Award, has been on UNECOM’s clinical faculty for many years and served briefly on its board, has been a mentor to many of its students, and is a long time supporter of UNECOM.
Richard A. Rawson, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and a Research Professor at the Vermont Center for Behavior and Health at the University of Vermont. He received a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Vermont in 1974. Dr. Rawson conducted numerous clinical trials on pharmacological and psychosocial/behavioral addiction treatments for the treatment of individuals with cocaine and methamphetamine disorders. He has represented the US at numerous international meetings on methamphetamine. He has led addiction research and training projects for the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the U.S. State Department, exporting science-based knowledge to many parts of the world. He currently is providing consultation on treatment of stimulant use disorder to 8 US states and several international projects. Dr. Rawson has published 3 books, 40 book chapters, and over 250 peer-reviewed articles and has conducted at least a zillion workshops, paper presentations, and training sessions.
