CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, the largest non-profit, outpatient provider for opioid treatment in Rhode Island, today announced that it will be presenting at three sessions during the 2021 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) Conference, to be held virtually April 10-14, 2021.

The theme of this year’s conference, AATOD’s first all-virtual, is “Forging Partnerships to Improve Access to Quality Care.” CODAC’s experts plan to highlight three of its innovative programs: collaboration of the state and opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in addressing the opioid crisis; the Heroin-Opioid Prevention Effort Initiative (HOPE Initiative); and addressing tobacco/nicotine use concurrently with medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and behavioral health.

“We are excited to be presenting at the first virtual AATOD conference, which is expected to bring together an exceptional number of peers and other key decision-makers interested in exploring viable solutions to our nation’s opioid epidemic, said Linda Hurley, President/CEO of CODAC in a statement. “It is our honor to share our models, best practices and outcomes with other experts in our field — particularly as we face the dual crisis of the opioid crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic.”

CODAC’s presentations at the AATOD 2021 virtual conference will be as follows:

  • Monday, April 12, 2021 — 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM PDT

Workshop: Community Partners & Continuum of Care
#1 — Building a Tobacco Cessation Treatment Model Through Multi-Dimensional Partnerships
Primary Presenter(s): Linda Hurley, MA, CAGS, LCDCS, President and Chief Executive Officer, CODAC
Co-Presenter(s): Lisabeth Bennett, NBC-HWC, NCTTP, Clinical Director of Tobacco Treatment and Training, CODAC

Excerpted from program/schedule: The tobacco treatment landscape is constantly shifting and changing. SUD and BH patients smoke at rates far greater than the general population… Quality care depends on addressing tobacco/nicotine use concurrently with MAT and behavioral health…

  • Tuesday, April 13, 2021 — 4:10 PM – 4:25 PM PDT

Workshop: Public Policy/Regulatory and Financial Issues
D3 – Systems Collaboration for Model Programming and Sustained Change
Primary Presenter(s): Linda Hurley, MA, CAGS, LCDCS, President and Chief Executive Officer, CODAC
Co-Presenter(s): Rebecca Boss, MA, Chief Operating Office and VP of Strategic Development, CODAC
Linda A. Mahoney, CAADC, LCDCS, CS, State Opioid Treatment Authority- Administrator- BH Program National Treatment Network President- NASADAD
State of RI- Division of Behavioral Healthcare

Excerpted from program/schedule: Like many states, Rhode Island experienced a significant increase in overdose deaths, with rates doubling from 2011 to 2016. In her first year in office, Governor Raimondo established the Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force. Guided by expert advisors, the Task Force created a strategic plan which identified clear goals within four key pillars: Prevention, Rescue, Treatment and Recovery. Treatment was identified as the cornerstone of the plan, specifically recognizing that “making Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) as available as possible, whenever possible, can save lives.” The plan called for increasing capacity for MAT and expanding access through new care settings such as hospital emergency rooms and correctional settings… Rhode Island benefits from the strong collaboration of state and OTPs in addressing the opioid crisis and has been one of few states to recognize overdose decreases for three consecutive years…

  • Wednesday, April 14, 2021 — 11:05 AM – 11:20 AM PDT

Workshop: Community Partners & Continuum of Care
F5 – The HOPE Initiative Redefines the Mission of Community Safety
Primary Presenter(s): Rebecca Elsing, MA, CAGS, QMHP, Clinical Supervisor of the HOPE Initiative, CODAC
Co-Presenter(s): Leslie Bridgman, MA, JD, LCDP, Director of Correctional Services, CODAC
Matthew Moynihan, MA, Law Enforcement Overdose Response Coordinator/ Director of the HOPE Initiative, Rhode Island State Police

Excerpted from program/schedule: … To support the ongoing efforts of state and local government to address the opioid crisis, the Heroin-Opioid Prevention Effort Initiative (HOPE Initiative) was created in 2018; making it the nation’s first statewide law enforcement-led opioid overdose prevention outreach and engagement program. Designed after several successful single jurisdictional outreach models, the HOPE Initiative is a distinct multi-jurisdictional program that draws expertise and resources from agencies and police departments across the state…