Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to invite you to the 2016 AATOD Conference being held October 29 through November 2, 2016 at the Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore, Maryland. This year’s conference is being sponsored by the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration.

The conference theme, Saving Lives: Access to Improved Health & Recovery highlights the issues and challenges of medication assisted treatment in the context of health care reform. The conference will provide an opportunity to interact with leading national and international treatment experts working on innovative strategies to expand and enhance the skills of the behavioral healthcare workforce and contribute to the adoption of evidence based practices in the treatment of opioid use disorders. Your attendance at this conference will provide you with the latest evidence relevant to the field of opioid treatment and allow you to critically evaluate the implications for patients, clinicians, administrators, and policy makers. In addition, there will be programming on ways to better promote, support, facilitate, and integrate medication assisted treatment into the judicial systems, government, and social service organizations. By expanding your facilities’ role for collaboration and effective partnerships among and between organizations, we can improve the quality of treatment and the lives of those we serve.

The workshop committee extends an invitation for you to submit a proposal highlighting your research and/or clinical expertise in the provision of care to those with, or affected by, opioid use disorders. The Call for Presentations seeks proposals for workshops and posters that will present the innovative strategies happening in our clinics, the collaboration and partnerships between treatment program and community services, as well as the best practice models that support the full continuum of care and recovery from opioid use disorders.

Each new conference year, we look to build on the success of the previous conference. We focused on the impact of prescription opioids on the healthcare system during the 2015 Conference in Atlanta. This year, we aim to take the next step and address the partnerships between opioid treatment providers and the linkages with community health care, social service, judicial, and government agencies needed to better serve our population. At our Hot Topic Roundtables, you will have the opportunity to discuss and debate the latest evidence-based treatment models in use internationally and nationally. The AATOD conference will also provide a forum for you to network, meet colleagues and friends, and invite lively discussion around the current trends in opioid maintenance treatment.

Baltimore, or “Charm City” as it is also known, is a vibrant city with a beautiful waterfront, eclectic restaurants, museums, and much to see and do. Baltimore is home to Fort McHenry, which defended the Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812; the USS Constellation, the last Civil War vessel still afloat; and the country’s first cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of Assumption. Baltimore is also the birthplace of the national anthem, penned by Francis Scott Key, and the American Railroad. Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglas, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, and Babe Ruth all once called Baltimore “home.” There is no better time to visit this beautiful city than in the fall.

On behalf of AATOD’s Board, our hosts, and our planning committee, it is our hope that
you will submit a proposal for presentation and join us in Baltimore in 2016.
Sincerely,

Sunday, October 30, 2016
8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Additional Fees Apply — Please see conference registration information for more details.

This course is recommended for clinicians who have an interest in increasing their knowledge of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid dependence. The updated curriculum includes current consensus guidance for best practice treatment for opioid addiction, focusing primarily on utilization of methadone.

Topics include overview of opioid dependence, epidemiology, opioid pharmacology, evidence based treatment options, patient assessment/selection, special populations, induction and maintenance protocols, pain management, drug-to-drug interactions, adverse effects, methadone deaths, managing medical/psychiatric problems, drug testing, regulatory issues, an accreditation update, risk management, and an overview of other medication modalities.

While the course is primarily intended for clinicians with limited experience in MAT, it also provides updated information for more experienced clinicians. Participants will receive a comprehensive syllabus with reference and resource materials. To further integrate the educational objectives, participants are encouraged to discuss challenging problems and clinical issues to facilitate understanding of didactic principles.

Experienced opioid treatment program Medical Directors will conduct the program, focusing on the goal for participants to acquire the essential knowledge and skills necessary to deliver safe and effective medication assisted treatment for patients with opioid dependence.

The $235.00 registration fee includes course materials, morning coffee service, and luncheon.