Contingency management is the evidence-based behavioral intervention associated with the most robust evidence for effectively treating individuals with a stimulant use disorder (StimUD). Contingency management provides monetary incentives (such as gift cards) for meeting treatment goals, including stimulant non-use as measured by negative point-of-care urine drug tests (UDTs), rewarding individuals for changing their behaviors. Substance use offers a powerful, immediate reinforcement. Contingency management confronts this challenge by offering immediate financial awards that can help activate the brain’s reward system, thus encouraging the replacement of stimulants with the incentive to achieve a dopamine release. This 90-minute webinar is designed to provide a broad overview of contingency management for treating individuals with a stimulant use disorder (StimUD). Ample time will be provided for group discussion and audience Q&A.
 

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

-Describe at least three (3) patterns and trends regarding the scope of stimulant use in the Western U.S. and beyond.

-Identify at least three (3) acute and three (3) chronic effects of psychostimulant drugs on the brain.

-Formulate a list of the four (4) essential elements of an evidence‐based, protocol‐driven contingency management program to address stimulant use.

-Specify two (2) barriers to implementing contingency management and two (2) strategies to address the barriers.