Products and Resources Catalog

Professional boundaries set the parameters of effective and appropriate interaction between professionals and the people they serve. Boundaries protect clients and patients as well as providers. This interactive course will discuss professionalism and ethics, dual relationships, and how to build a safe working environment. This training was approved for two renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and two initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses were granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offered reciprocity.

Transferencia de tecnología explainer in spanish

A brief explainer on what Technology Transfer is. Spanish version

The New England ATTC, in partnership with RICARES, held the next monthly installment of the Recovery Science and Harm Reduction Reading Group series. We discussed a paper titled, “Mobile low-threshold buprenorphine integrated with infectious disease services” by Rosecrans and colleagues. A summary of the discussion is available for download.

Research data indicate higher rates of trauma among justice-involved persons than the general population. The effects of traumatic experiences can challenge a person’s capacity for recovery and pose significant barriers to accessing services, often resulting in an increased risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system. This interactive training instructs on what trauma is and how to avoid re-traumatizing individuals, increase safety for them and practitioners, potential to decrease recidivism, and promote and support recovery of justice-involved persons. Although this training is designed with community corrections, court personnel, and law enforcement in mind, behavioral health providers working with justice involved persons may also find it useful in understanding core issues of trauma and trauma-informed approaches. This training was approved for four renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and four initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses were granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offered reciprocity

Presenter: Deborah Hasin, PhD (Columbia University) Over the last two decades, the cannabis landscape in the U.S. has changed considerably. Legalization, product potency and commercialization have increased while perceived risk has declined. In this context, national increases in cannabis use and cannabis use disorder will be reviewed, including particular subgroups in which the increases have been disproportionately large, e.g., individuals with pain and with psychiatric disorders, including psychosis. Learning objectives: To be able to describe time trends in the prevalence of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder; To be able to describe the influence of state-level legalization of cannabis on rates of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder; To be able to describe sub-groups of the population at particular risk for increases in cannabis use and cannabis use disorder, and some potential explanations of these differences. Download slides | View recording

This 16-hour training (12 hours of live interactive training through Zoom + 4 hours of professional development plan assignments), combined with the 14-hour online “Clinical Supervision Foundations I” training, met the 30-hour Clinical Supervision training requirement for the Advanced Counselor and Master Counselor status, as referenced in the OASAS Substance Use Disorder Scope of Practice. This training recognizes the crucial role that Clinical Supervision holds as the cornerstone of performance improvement at both the program and client level. Clinical Supervision, when properly implemented by competent Clinical Supervisors, improves client care, develops clinical skills, and improves the knowledge and professionalism of clinical personnel. It is also paramount in imparting and maintaining ethical standards in the addictions profession. This training met the requirements for 16 renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and 16 initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses were granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offered reciprocity.

This 16-hour training (12 hours of live interactive training through Zoom + 4 hours of professional development plan assignments), combined with the 14-hour online “Clinical Supervision Foundations I” training, met the 30-hour Clinical Supervision training requirement for the Advanced Counselor and Master Counselor status, as referenced in the OASAS Substance Use Disorder Scope of Practice. This training recognizes the crucial role that Clinical Supervision holds as the cornerstone of performance improvement at both the program and client level. Clinical Supervision, when properly implemented by competent Clinical Supervisors, improves client care, develops clinical skills, and improves the knowledge and professionalism of clinical personnel. It is also paramount in imparting and maintaining ethical standards in the addictions profession. This training met the requirements for 16 renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and 16 initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses were granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offered reciprocity.

This 16-hour training (12 hours of live interactive training through Zoom + 4 hours of professional development plan assignments), combined with the 14-hour online “Clinical Supervision Foundations I” training, met the 30-hour Clinical Supervision training requirement for the Advanced Counselor and Master Counselor status, as referenced in the OASAS Substance Use Disorder Scope of Practice. This training recognizes the crucial role that Clinical Supervision holds as the cornerstone of performance improvement at both the program and client level. Clinical Supervision, when properly implemented by competent Clinical Supervisors, improves client care, develops clinical skills, and improves the knowledge and professionalism of clinical personnel. It is also paramount in imparting and maintaining ethical standards in the addictions profession. This training met the requirements for 16 renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and 16 initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses were granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offered reciprocity.

This 16-hour training (12 hours of live interactive training through Zoom + 4 hours of professional development plan assignments), combined with the 14-hour online “Clinical Supervision Foundations I” training, met the 30-hour Clinical Supervision training requirement for the Advanced Counselor and Master Counselor status, as referenced in the OASAS Substance Use Disorder Scope of Practice. This training recognizes the crucial role that Clinical Supervision holds as the cornerstone of performance improvement at both the program and client level. Clinical Supervision, when properly implemented by competent Clinical Supervisors, improves client care, develops clinical skills, and improves the knowledge and professionalism of clinical personnel. It is also paramount in imparting and maintaining ethical standards in the addictions profession. This training met the requirements for 16 renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and 16 initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses were granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offered reciprocity.

In spring of 2023, Mountain Plains ATTC conducted a survey in an effort to better understand the training and technical assistance needs of individuals providing SUD treatment and recovery services in Region 8. The purpose of the survey was to determine providers’ perceptions, practices, and training/technical assistance needs, specifically in relation to harm reduction (HR) services/activities for SUDs. An invitation to participate in the survey was emailed posted on the Mountain Plains ATTC website and was sent to all constituents within Region 8 for which the Mountain Plains ATTC had email addresses. In addition, participants were asked to invite others within their agencies and networks to participate. The survey was completed between March 9 to April 12, 2023. Approval to conduct the survey was obtained from the University of North Dakota Institutional Review Board. Results from this survey will help Mountain Plains ATTC better collaborate with providers and stakeholders throughout the region in the development of new products, training materials, and technical assistance. It is also hoped that this report will provide readers with a snapshot of the perceptions, practices, and technical assistance/training needs of the SUD provider services workforce in Region 8.

The New England ATTC, in partnership with the New England Association of Recovery Court Professionals, provided a basic/universal TA webinar titled, "How to Best Treat and Manage Methamphetamine Use" with subject matter experts Brian Meyer and Helen Harberts. The recording is available for download.

The presentation slides from “How to Best Treat and Manage Methamphetamine Use” (described above) are also available for download.

  Leading and Facilitating High Performing Teams in Behavioral Health Settings   ON-DEMAND COURSE   Course Description This 5-module on-demand course focuses on the development of practice competencies for facilitating and leading a variety of meeting formats, activities, and processes to support the deliberative and inclusive actions of organizational teams. These competencies focus on activities for: conducting efficient and effective meetings, developing team comrade and trust, generating information, generating and evaluating ideas, making decisions, and developing action plans. This course is designed to provide you with a set of tools and practices that will enhance your leadership and facilitation effectiveness within various behavioral health settings. In these settings, behavioral health providers may be part of one or more ongoing or ad hoc work-place clinical teams or committees (discharge committee; high utilizer committee) and organizational work-place meetings (shift change, staff meetings). In today’s post-COVID world, many organizational teams operate both virtually and in-person.   TO VIEW AND COMPLETE MODULES 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5  PLEASE VISIT: https://psattcelearn.org/courses/leading-and-facilitating-high-performance-teams/   Structure of the Course This on-demand course is divided into five (5) modules. Each module will take one (1) hour to complete and learners can receive one (1) continuing education (CE) credit/contact hour for completing each module. Each module will require you to view 2-3 brief video lectures, read brief articles or other informational documents, and complete 1 application activity. The five (5) modules consist of:    

National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), which started in 1989, is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible. Hosted by the ATTC, and MHTTC Network, in collaboration with SAMHSA, this hour-long event showcases the winners of the 2022 Recovery Innovation Challenge through a “talk-show” format. Hear from four of the ten Challenge Winners who share their innovative strategies for recovery, lessons learned from implementation, and recommendations for replication in other communities. Download the slides by clicking on the green "download" button above.

This presentation titled, "Addiction Technology Transfer: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Service for 30 Years" provides participants with an overview of the New England ATTC and key accomplishments over the past three decades.

Beyond sobriety, programs dealing with substance use disorders have embraced a more comprehensive goal: Recovery. There are four recognized domains of recovery: Health, Home, Purpose, and Community. There are a myriad of resources, both internal and external, that make up recovery capital. As a person begins their journey, they draw on their initial store of recovery capital and as that journey continues, they gain more recovery capital. More recovery capital, more recovery. More recovery, more recovery capital. By assisting an individual identify their recovery capital and make plans for its increase, their recovery becomes stronger.  This session, presented by Norma Jaeger, PhD (ABD), Executive Director of Recovery Idaho, explored the many potential elements of recovery capital and how to support an individual in building more recovery capital to support their life in recovery. View recording | Download slides | Download handouts: Recovery Capital Scale, Recovery Capital Worksheets 

The New England ATTC co-hosted the Recovery Science and Harm Reduction (RSHR) Reading Group meeting on September 21, 2023. This discussion reviewed the article, “Understanding Stigma Through the Lived Experiences of People With Opioid Use Disorder.” Article link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37390780/ View the September 2023 RSHR Reading group meeting summary that includes a brief article summary and key themes that arose in discussion with the participants.

    Throughout the United States, an estimated 1-2 million older adults are in need of treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). This presentation addresses evidence-based best practices for treating older adults with substance use disorder.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Identify commonly used drugs for older adults and the risks associated with these substances. Describe logistical differences in treating and responding to older adults with SUD. Present effective treatment strategies for treating older adults.     TRAINER: Randall Webber, MPH, CADC, has worked in the addiction field for the past 45+ years as a counselor, program director and trainer. He has provided training on street drug pharmacology, addiction science, counselor ethics, and substance abuse treatment strategies. Randall has authored or co-authored numerous publications and has held teaching positions at several colleges and universities. He also serves on the board of directors of the Illinois Association of Addiction Professionals     The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

This module aims to educate about harm reduction as an evidence-based public health approach to minimizing adverse health consequences and other events that may be experienced by people who use psychoactive substances.  Harm reduction strategies and how to put them into practice in the process of helping to achieve behavior change are discussed.

Este módulo tiene como objetivo educar al lector sobre la reducción de daños como un enfoque de salud pública, basado en evidencia, para minimizar las consecuencias adversas a la salud y otras áreas de la vida que pueden experimentar las personas que consumen sustancias psicoactivas.  Se discuten estrategias de la reducción de daños y cómo ponerlas en práctica en el proceso de ayuda para lograr cambios de conducta.

This is a recording of the webinar presented 9-13-23 by JK Costello

  Treatment for Individuals who Use Stimulants TRUST A Protocol Using Empirically-Supported Behavioral Treatments for People with Stimulant Use Disorders     Purpose of the TRUST-MAIN Manual The authors of this manual have been involved in StimUD-related research, treatment, and training efforts for over 30 years. Over this period, the research on StimUD and its treatment has vastly increased and there is a great interest in better understanding StimUD and providing effective treatment for people who use cocaine and methamphetamine. We have produced this manual to promote the use of research-supported strategies for StimUD treatment. The manual attempts to combine a number of strategies into a framework that is appropriate for use by clinicians in settings where people with StimUD receive treatment. This manual is not intended to be a cookbook and the materials used and the framework for their use are not intended to be an inflexible, one-size-fits-all prescription. At the end of the manual, we list a variety of treatment materials (see Appendix) that can be added or substituted for the ones we are recommending. We provide the contents of this manual and the framework for combining these treatment materials as one example for how research-supported strategies can be combined into a structured treatment experience. The manual was developed at a time when CM with adequate incentives was considered impossible in the U.S. Hence, this manual was produced to offer a possible, albeit a non-evidence-based and certainly less effective alternative to CM. As evidence-based CM protocols using adequate incentives are increasingly being developed and implemented in the U.S., there is interest in having CM delivered within a framework of other evidence-based behavioral support. The use of the materials in the TRUST Manual to augment CM treatment is another possible use of the manual, either in the form of a 12-week framework, or as ad hoc behavioral support materials. The audience for the manual includes healthcare professionals who provide treatment services for individuals with StimUD. One category of these professionals who we particularly hope will benefit are therapists and other behavioral health clinicians who work in substance use disorder specialty care treatment programs. The manual has been written with this group in mind.   The manual intends to: Provide new information about the use and effects of cocaine and methamphetamine. Present several key clinical challenges that clinicians face when treating this population. Review the evidence-based treatment strategies for StimUD treatment. Discuss how motivational interviewing (MI) is central to the effective engagement of individuals in treatment and to assisting them with behavior change during treatment. Present how elements of community reinforcement approach (CRA) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be used to assist individuals with StimUD to reduce/discontinue their drug use and prevent relapse. Describe a procedure for incorporating positive incentives into the treatment milieu and/or support the use of CM for the treatment of StimUD. Provide information and guidance for how physical exercise can benefit individuals who are attempting to reduce/discontinue their use of methamphetamine and cocaine. Describe a plan for providing continuing care to assist individuals to sustain the progress they have made in a structured treatment program. List an array of manuals and training resources for other research-supported substance use disorder treatment approaches.   For those working with people receiving care for Opioid Use Disorder, an adapted version is available Treatment for Individuals who Use Stimulants while on MOUD TRUST—MOUD THERAPIST MANUAL & PATIENT WORKBOOK       Purpose of the TRUST-MOUD Manual The TRUST MOUD Manual is intended to be used with patients who are struggling with stimulant (cocaine/amphetamine) use while in treatment for OUD with methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone. Working with patients presenting in MOUD treatment is a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding experience. While it is rewarding, it can also be frustrating. Stimulant use among these patients is common and many patients don’t see their use as problematic. In fact, for some patients who use stimulants sporadically, they may not need treatment. But certainly, for some patients on MOUD, cocaine/meth use is extremely detrimental to the effectiveness of their MOUD treatment and is a serious health problem. However, in many cases, regardless of the severity of use, the patients often don’t recognize their stimulant use as a problem, and they are not interested in intensive treatment. The materials in the TRUST MOUD Manual attempt to provide this patient population with a useful set of information in a format that they find acceptable. The materials adopt CRA, CBT, and MI content and present it in a clear and relevant form that addresses the challenges they face while in MOUD treatment. We try to avoid long, didactic, lecturing materials, but rather try to create accessible topics and examples. TRUST was developed with flexibility in mind to optimize patient engagement and retention. TRUST materials can be presented in 1:1 sessions and can be scheduled with patients or in on-going stimulant treatment groups. Topics can be presented in a sequence and frequency that lets therapists select content to meet patient needs. The 24 TRUST worksheets can be used in a flexible manner to be relevant and useful to patients. Consistency is important when using the TRUST Manual. Set and adhere to meeting days and times. Start and end sessions on time. If used in a group format, have some group participation guidelines. Adhering to a specific session format and timing will enhance patients’ understanding of the group/individual session process and will allow them to focus on acquisition of new material. Patients using stimulants will undoubtedly experience cognitive impairment as they participate in sessions and utilize the TRUST materials. Slowing down to allow patients to gather their thoughts and express themselves during group or individual sessions is important. In addition, using multi-media and repetition can be helpful for patients to grasp new concepts. Use of Motivational Interviewing as a fundamental style and interpersonal approach is essential to success when using TRUST materials. Ideally, TRUST session attendance should be paired with medication visit attendance to reduce the travel burden on patients. This is especially true in rural areas, where public transportation is non-existent, or when a patient has employment, education, or homemaking responsibilities. When possible, patients should have an opportunity to determine therapy visit days and times based upon their scheduling needs. Research has shown that aerobic exercise improves cognitive capacity, reduces depression and anxiety, and improves cardiac and pulmonary function for individuals with stimulant use disorder. Several of the TRUST worksheets discuss the benefits of exercise as part of a treatment effort to reducing stimulant use. Encouraging patients to exercise will also help them to manage emotional highs and lows and help them structure their day. Getting patients to exercise is often difficult and requires ongoing encouragement and support. The TRUST materials and their use with patients on MOUD should be used with a strong harm reduction foundation. The #1 priority for this group of patients is retention in treatment with MOUD. Participation in treatment activities with TRUST materials, when appropriate, should be encouraged, rewarded, and praised. In our opinion, requiring treatment attendance with TRUST materials, with a threat of MOUD discontinuation is never justified. In an era of lethal drugs including fentanyl, retention on MOUD is essential. Other harm reduction activities should be combined with TRUST materials. Access to safe injection supplies, ready access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips, and as new drugs emerge (e.g., xylazine), it is critical to provide new information and test strips as they become available. Many patients in MOUD treatment have multiple life challenges, including use of numerous drugs and alcohol, food insecurity, being unhoused, unemployment, as well as both mental health and physical health issues. To be successful, patients will need to be retained in treatment for a significant period of time, if not for a lifetime. These issues are not going to be resolved overnight, but rather through consistent and prolonged effort. We hope these materials can be useful to your work with patients on MOUD.   Authors Richard Rawson, PhD Richard A. Rawson, PhD, 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 addiction treatment and extensive system evaluation activities in a number of states and countries. 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. Dr. Rawson has published 3 books, 40 book chapters, and over 250 peer-reviewed articles and has, for almost 50 years, conducted workshops, paper presentations, and training sessions in many areas of the world.   Albert Hasson, MSW Albert L. Hasson received his MSW from UCLA and has worked in the field of addiction medicine as a researcher and a treatment provider since 1977. Mr. Hasson participated in the development of the evidence-based Matrix Model, a cognitive behavioral intervention for StimUD Treatment, and established the Matrix Institute on Addictions, Los Angeles opioid treatment program. Along with his administrative and clinical experience, Mr. Hasson has extensive experience in implementing and evaluating behavioral and pharmacologic interventions. He has served as a project director and trainer for the Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center at the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs.   Janice Stimson, PsyD Janice Stimson, PsyD, has worked in the field of addiction treatment since 1998. For 20 years she has worked at the Matrix Institute on Addictions in the role of Clinic Director, overseeing and managing the clinic, seeing clients and supervising staff. At the clinic private adolescent and adult treatment programs coexisted along-side national research studies. Dr. Stimson held key positions in those studies and was responsible for ensuring the success of fulfilling recruitment, training, supervision, and protocol requirements.   Michael McCann, MA Michael McCann, M.A., is one of the founders of the Matrix Institute on Addictions and creators of the Matrix Model. He has overseen the operation of Matrix clinics as well as the integration of many research projects within these sites. He has over 40 years of experience in substance use disorder treatment and research, and has authored or co-authored over 40 articles, books, and manuals. He has trained and lectured extensively on evidence-based behavioral interventions, pharmacologic treatments, methamphetamine dependence, opioid dependence, and on the implementation of evidence-based treatments into clinical practice   Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance provided by Thomas E. Freese, PhD, Beth Rutkowski, MPH, Gloria Miele, PhD, and Valerie P Antonini, MPH. Christine Morgan provided invaluable support with the production of the manual, along with editing support from Victoria T. Norith and Benjamin Nguyen, MSW, CPH. The materials in this manual include content and worksheets from the Matrix Model Therapist Manual (SAMHSA, 2006); from the Community Reinforcement Approach, plus Vouchers Manual (NIDA, 2020).