Our Trainings

NCSTAR offers a variety of didactic trainings to meet the needs of our partner sites. The Foundation Series was developed by NCSTAR Faculty and includes 10 topics available for in person or virtual formats depending on partner site needs. Our didactic trainings are designed to accommodate not just providers but any partner site staff who interacts with those with substance use disorder.

Each didactic is a 1 hour session available for in-person or virtual delivery for CME credit. Sessions may be applied toward the addiction medicine training requirement set forth by the DEA.

NCSTAR extends appreciation to MAHEC’s Department of Continuing Professional Development for their essential role in the administration of our continuing education programs.

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Available Didactics

CLINICAL TRACK

Fundamentals of Buprenorphine Prescribing: A Patient Centered Approach	This session will prepare community health care professionals to incorporate treatment of opioid use disorders into standard of care using a patient-centered low barrier approach.   Cases will be used to illustrate scenarios in which prescribers might identify opportunities to initiate, continue or get additional support for treatment.
Common Clinical Scenarios: Selecting MOUD	This session reviews basic tenets of opioid use disorder treatments in the ambulatory setting, what low barrier access means, patient specific factors for consideration when choosing medications for opioid use disorder, and provision of care through a harm reduction lens.
Common Clinical Scenarios: Co-Occurring Substance Use and ​Behavioral Health Disorders	This session reviews basic tenets of opioid use disorder treatments in the ambulatory setting and common behavioral health presentations in those with OUD and other co-occurring substance use disorders. A focus on whole person care within a primary care setting is used to frame OUD treatment approach with a harm reduction lens.
Common Clinical Scenarios: Patient Centered Care	Using patient case scenarios commonly encountered in primary care and/or other ambulatory care settings, participants will learn how to approach OUD treatment through the lens of harm reduction and patient-centered care. Common patient / client behaviors are discussed to demonstrate how shared decision making can result in longer treatment engagement and improved adherence.
Urine Drug Testing: Purposes and Pitfalls	This session will review the historical development of urine drug testing in judicial, employment and clinical spaces along with an overview of drug testing types. Key points for incorporating a nonjudgemental approach to urine drug testing interpretation and patient / client discussions are highlighted using national clinical guidelines.
Using Long Acting Injections (LAIs) for Opioid Use Disorder	This session will review FDA approved long-acting injections (LAIs) indicated for the management of opioid use disorder: buprenorphine and naltrexone, their safety risks and preferential use in OUD. Several case examples are included to demonstrate utility and appropriateness of each.

Substance Use Stigma Track

The One Liner	This interactive session focuses on the beginning of any clinical note: the patient / client one-line description. These case-based scenarios explore the relationship between demographic factors and societal drivers of health and frame how personal perspectives can influence clinical decision-making. Participants will discuss strategies for using patient information in an effective way to support clear communication and build trust.
Perception vs. Reality of Addiction	This session will review the development of substance use disorders, impact of societal health drivers, and common misconceptions regarding substance use disorders and treatments. Attendees are introduced to the reward pathway, dopamine and conceptualizing addiction as chronic disease.
Defining Stigma for Those with Substance Use Disorder	This session will review various forms of stigma and real-world consequences in a healthcare setting. An overview of harm reduction principles and ideas for incorporation into a clinical setting provides the audience with actionable changes to reduce stigma.
Harm Reduction as a Tool to Improve Health Outcomes	This session provides a deeper dive into harm reduction by examining its core principles. Examples of what harm reduction can look like in a general medical setting are provided to provoke ideas for incorporating into any practice setting.