Education and Training
Research, Education and Training for the Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders
BRENDA Training Approach
What is BRENDA?
Dr. Volpicelli is proud to provide an intimate learning environment that not only certifies you to provide BRENDA method treatment, but ensures you are confident to take your skills to practice. This training module is applicable to any professional who wishes to learn how to engage patients in treatment and improve adherence and retention. Not local to our area? No problem. We have the ability to provide training remotely, and on a flexible schedule. Please see the contact us page to find out more about this opportunity.
Residency Available
Our Partnership with Chestnut Hill Family Practice Residency
Resident physicians from Chestnut Hill Family Practice Residency Program spend several weeks working alongside us in our clinical program. During the time they are with us, we pay special attention to ensuring we are upholding the Institute’s mission to educate and create long term relationships that foster on-going education well after the rotation period has ended. We often hear from previous residents who come across related challenges, and we are so proud to help them help their patients.
If you are interested in having IAM as a site for your residents (or medical students), please use the contact form to get in touch.
Sponsored Conferences
In 2017, IAM proudly hosted its first conference. This full-day conference consisted of the field’s top scientists and clinicians sharing their current research, as well as input from adjacent fields such as the criminal justice system. We specifically focused on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the discovery of naltrexone in the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder, but our discussions also included some history of addiction medicine, as well as our hopes for the future of this field. We look forward to hosting more conferences soon!
Institute of Addiction Medicine Scholarship Fund
More information coming soon.
Download a free copy of SAMHSA's TIP 49For those of your who like the condensed version SAMHSA offers: Advisory: Prescribing Pharmacotherapies for Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder (based on TIP 49)
This valuable and free of charge manual provides clinical practice guidelines for using medications in the medication-assisted treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). It offers practical guidance on prescribing and using acamprosate, disulfiram, oral naltrexone, and extended-release injectable naltrexone. The manual also discusses patient management. Access the literature review for incredible resources especially about naltrexone as the first line treatment medication together with harm reduction strategies as preferred by SAMHSA.
This Advisory, informed by TIP 49, emphasizes the importance of medication and treatment decisions following the screening and assessment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), including managed withdrawal when needed. It highlights that individuals with a long history of regular alcohol consumption should not abruptly cease drinking. The document serves as an overview of medications available for AUD to support individuals in achieving abstinence.
Key Messages
● Many people with AUD can benefit from the four FDA-approved medications to treat this
condition: acamprosate, disulfiram, oral naltrexone, and XR-NTX.
● Healthcare professionals need to match patients with the appropriate AUD medication.
Factors to consider include patient needs, stage of patient’s recovery, preferences, age, and
preexisting medical conditions, as well as potential medication interactions.
● Prescribers need to conduct lab tests for each patient. AUD is often accompanied by physical
ailments, some of which may be contraindications for a particular medication.
● Healthcare professionals should also incorporate patient education, psychosocial treatment,
and patient monitoring into care. When to discontinue treatment is an equally important
clinical decision.
Are you looking for addiction treatment?
The Institute of Addiction Medicine is a sister organization to the Volpicelli Center for addiction treatment—a premier outpatient addiction treatment center in Pennsylvania.
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