Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, has announced a training course is being held June 11 at Bonnie Castle Resort for physicians so they can be certified to prescribe buprenorphine, an office-based treatment for opioid use disorders.
Assemblywoman Russell said as she has been discussing heroin and opiod addiction issues with recovery and treatment providers she repeatedly was told there continues to be a lack of providers available for addicts in treatment.
There are just three physicians in Jefferson County that currently are certified to prescribe the medication, and two of the doctors, including one working for the CREDO treatment program, can only prescribe to patients in their programs.
Buprenorphine is a medication-based treatment used to help people quit or reduce their use of heroin or other opioids. When used in its prescribed dosages, Buprenorphine can assist patients in coping with the physically challenging side effects related to withdrawal from an opioid addiction.
Physicians who complete the eight-hour course, which includes 3.75 hours of online training, and focuses on substance abuse treatment, opioids and the use of Buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid use disorders. Physicians will receive eight continuing medical education credits. Physicians must take the course and pass an examination in order to be granted the waiver to prescribe Buprenorphine.
Assemblywoman Russell said she has heard too many stories of people traveling as far as the outskirts of New York City to get their buprenorphine prescriptions filled.
"I found this training for certification was very difficult to come by so working with our partners in the health care and recovery community we developed a plan to bring this training to the North Country," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"It is a recognition that the few physicians currently certified to prescribe the medication is clearly not enough to appropriately address the need in our communities," she added.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine, Chevy Chase, Md., will provide the training, and Dr. Edwin Salsitz, DFASAM, based in New York City, will teach the course. The training session will run from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 11 at Bonnie Castle Resort, Alexandria Bay.
Assemblywoman Russell said she is sponsoring the course in conjunction with the Alliance for Better Communities, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, the North Country Initiative and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
She said she is hopeful a number of local physicians will take advantage of the training. The training is not limited to physicians from the North Country. It is also being offered for physicians from throughout New York and surrounding states.
"There is no way to put a dent in the heroin epidemic in the North Country without having an appropriate number of physicians in the area able to prescribe a medication that has proven to be successful in the recovery process," Assemblywoman Russell said.
She suggested it would also be beneficial to have enough treatment providers in the region so patients in recovery from opioid addiction could have their care decentralized in the North Country.
Anita K. Seefried-Brown, project director for Alliance for Better Communities, Watertown, said she is optimistic the certification course will be well attended.
"We certainly hope there is sufficient interest in the medical community to meet the needs of individuals who are opioid addicted," she said.
"This training is of utmost importance in light of the incredible opioid epidemic sweeping across the region. This event will provide the training necessary for physicians to feel comfortable prescribing Buprenorphine. It gives opioid users in the early stages of recovery an opportunity to stay drug-free and alive. It is absolutely desperately needed to keep people alive," Ms. Seefried-Brown stressed.
The link for registrants to begin the online modules is http://www.cvent.com/Surveys/Welcome.aspx?s=cae80c56-ed2e-43dd-9585-d5969cf42bdd