Best AMERSA Podcasts (2025)

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Kimber King, Tj Thompson and Dr. Ruchi Shah, SafeSpot Hotline: Virtual Spotting and Real-Time Overdose Prevention 54:00

Play Pause

3M ago54:00

54:00

SafeSpot Overdose Prevention Hotline provides free, 24/7 virtual spotting services to people who use drugs alone. Born out of the grassroots Never Use Alone Massachusetts line, SafeSpot has evolved into a nationally recognized program housed at Boston Medical Center. In this episode, host Dr. Ruchi Shah speaks with Kimber King and TJ Thompson about…

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Dr. Emily Skogrand, Dr. Mike Winer and Dr. Honora Englander, Methadone Outside of an OTP: Meeting People Where They Are 38:14

3M ago38:14

38:14

Medications methadone and buprenorphine – are the most effective treatments for opioid use disorder. Decades of evidence show that they treat acute withdrawal and cravings, improve quality of life, reduce risk for HIV and hepatitis C, reduce overdose, and reduce risk of drug-related and all-cause mortality. Yet in the US, fewer than 1 in 5 people w…

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Johanna Sluser, Kelly Brandon, and Kristin Wason, ACT Now: Advancing Hospital Addiction Care Through a Nurse Liaison Program 40:24

4M ago40:24

40:24

This episode explores the Addiction Care Team Nurse Liaison Program (ACTNLP), a program that equips hospital nurses with substance use disorder (SUD) training to reduce stigma and improve outcomes for patients with SUD. Developed within an urban safety-net hospital, the program includes didactics, precepting with addiction specialists, and communit…

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Dr. Holly Drone & Dr. Timothy Kummer, Beyond Overdose: Integrating Buprenorphine into EMS for Lasting Impact 46:51

4M ago46:51

46:51

In this episode, host Dr. Tim Kummer is joined by Holly Drone, EMS Pharmacist, and Jackson Thiets, paramedic and buprenorphine advocate with the Hennepin EMS Bridge Program. Together, they share the journey of implementing a paramedic-driven buprenorphine protocol, the lessons learned from their first year, and how the program has evolved to includ…

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Phil McNamara, Bella Wilklow, and Elizabeth Abbs, Enhancing Treatment Access: How collaboration with multidisciplinary providers and community members increases connection to long term care. 38:38

5M ago38:38

38:38

This episode will focus on the outreach and support service efforts within MATTERS that address barriers to treatment for opioid use disorder. While MATTERS is widely recognized for its harm reduction efforts, this episode will dig deeper into the essential support structures that make treatment more accessible, which can enhance the likelihood of …

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Dr. Triveni DeFries, Dairo Romero and Dr. Marlene Martin, Promoting health: Community health workers address unhealthy substance use 45:19

5M ago45:19

45:19

The Program for Education in Drugs and Alcohol for Latine (PEDAL) is an example of a partnership between community-based organizations and addiction medicine clinicians. In this episode the guest discuss their collaboration to co-develop a training program for promotores, also known as community health workers, to address unhealthy substance use in…

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Dr. Carrie Wilkens, Dr. Brandee Madden, & Dr. Jeff Foote. Stigmatized by Association- Impact of SUD and Stigma on Families 50:21

5M ago50:21

50:21

This episode explores the "contagious" nature of stigma in substance use disorders (SUDs), revealing how shame and discrimination spread beyond the 45-50 million Americans with SUDs to affect an estimated 45-300 million family members. While stigma's impact on individuals with SUDs is well-documented, this conversation spotlights how families becom…

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Dr. Lauren Broyles, Jackie Slaugenhaupt, and Holly Hagle, Untapping Social Potential: Teetotal Initiative’s Model for Empowering Recovery and Challenging Stigma 46:45

6M ago46:45

46:45

In this episode, Teetotal Initiative will provide insight into an innovative and underexplored but critical component of recovery: the impact of social interaction on recovery capital ecosystems and prevention of return to use. Despite its importance, organizing substance-free events for the community as a recovery tool is underutilized, leaving a …

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Michelle Kavouras, Dr. Nichole Nidey, and Dr. Sunny Kung, Why Language Matters in Documentation 51:40

6M ago51:40

51:40

In this episode, we dive into why language in client and patient records matters—and how it can shape care experiences. We explore practical ways to use non-stigmatizing language in health records and discuss the role of electronic health record (EHR) in shaping documentation. Who designs these systems, and how can they be improved? We also examine…

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Meghann Perry, Dr. Dani Snyder-Young, and Dr. Felipe Vasudevan, Dignity Starts With Us: Rewriting the dominant narratives of substance use 55:29

6M ago55:29

55:29

Redemption stories in recovery are often more harmful than helpful. We’ve all absorbed the War on Drugs narrative—but even well-intended stories about substance use often reinforce stigma. In this episode, Meghann Perry and Dr. Dani Snyder-Young explore how internalized shame shapes personal and public storytelling, influencing care access and poli…

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Michelle Durham, Cindi Salinas, and Dr. Deepika Slawek, On the Texas Frontlines: How Substance Use Disorder Stigma Affects HIV Prevalence in the South 49:42

7M ago49:42

49:42

In San Antonio, HIV is treated with love, not judgment—and it’s working. We will discuss how stigma: 1) contributes to HIV acquisition, 2) prevents people living with HIV from seeking and remaining in care, and 3) effective, evidence-based strategies for mitigating stigma. We will explore effective ways to reach, support, and treat individuals who …

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Jessica Heil, Dr. Rachel Haroz, & Dr. Jeffery Bratberg, Building Meaning: How Emergency Department Bridge Programs Improve Physicians’ Lives Through Purpose 32:56

7M ago32:56

32:56

Addiction care in the ER isn’t just about patients—it’s about fixing medicine itself. Emergency Department Bridge Programs allow ED physicians to connect patients in the ED with comprehensive addiction care. While the benefits of bridge programs for patients with opioid use disorder are known, what’s less understood is how these programs affect the…

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Siobhan Morse & Nicole O'Donnell, Using Peers to Combat Stigma 35:51

8M ago35:51

35:51

Turns out, the most powerful tool against addiction stigma might just be someone society once gave up on. Despite significant advancements in addiction treatment, stigma remains one of the greatest barriers to care for individuals struggling with substance use disorder (SUD). Among healthcare professionals, stigma can manifest in ways that impact p…

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Dr. Devin Oller, Kayla Strother, and Kate Roberts, Overcoming Substance Use Disorder Stigma in Appalachia 49:58

8M ago49:58

49:58

We’ve been blaming Appalachia for a healthcare crisis it didn’t create. Addiction in Appalachia isn’t what you think. This episode unpacks the nuanced reality of substance use disorder in a region that’s been stereotyped, ignored, and misunderstood for too long. Through powerful stories and clear strategies, it reveals how healthcare professionals,…

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Dr. Joe Wright & Allyson Pinkhover, Learning from Hamsterdams: How Zoning, Real Estate, and Public Policy Create Drug Containment Zones 43:43

9M ago43:43

43:43

We don’t have a drug crisis—we have a policy crisis. In episode one, Allyson Pinkhover, MPH, CPhT, CHO and Dr. Joe Wright explore some of the ways that urban planning, zoning, policing, and the location of addiction services combine to create or enforce a geography of containment. In Boston, Wright argues, land prices and the politics of what anoth…

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Initiating Medications for Opioid Use Disorder—There’s an App for That?!? 26:06

4y ago26:06

26:06

To support utilization of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), the Office Based Addiction Treatment Training and Technical Assistance (OBAT TTA) team will be releasing a mobile application that will guide healthcare providers through the initiation of buprenorphine and naltrexone for OUD (including injectable buprenorphine) and pain manageme…

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History of AMERSA with Sid Schnoll 1:14:01

4y ago1:14:01

1:14:01

Sid Schnoll, one of the founders of AMERSA, discusses with Paul Lum the origin of the organization out of the Career Teacher Program of the early 1970s. The desire by the federal government to cultivate experts in substance use disorders into health professional schools has resulted in a vibrant, growing organization that helps health educators pro…

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Key Conversations: Dismantling Racism Against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Across the Substance Use Continuum 37:30

4y ago37:30

37:30

The Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction (AMERSA) released a solidarity statement and a position paper articulating racism’s deadly effects on persons who use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. This cascade of negative effects, compounded with the social determinants of health results in higher rat…

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Palliative Care: Bridging the Gap for Addiction Treatment in People with Serious Illness 34:20

4y ago34:20

34:20

Substance Use Disorders are common in people with serious illness and contribute immensely to suffering and poor quality of life. People with addiction and serious illness are an underserved population with unmet and complex medical and psychosocial needs. In this episode, Palliative care clinicians will discuss the overlap between both fields, edu…

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Leveraging Media and Medicine to Reduce Stigma and Improve Access to Addiction Treatment 36:07

4y ago36:07

36:07

The COVID-19 pandemic is distinct from other catastrophic events because of massive population exposure to ongoing trauma. Illness, death, loss, grief, job- and food-insecurity have led to increased substance use, return to use/relapse, overdose and death. In the face of widespread misinformation, accurate and engaging health messaging matters NOW …

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Are Peer Counselors the Missing Link in Addiction Care? 44:11

4y ago44:11

44:11

The episode highlights peers in an acute care setting engaging with vulnerable patients suffering from active substance use disorder, with a focus on the intersection of lived experience, evidence-based treatment, and harm reduction strategies. Paul Bowman, Colleen LaBelle, and Nicole O'Donnell speak about the safe space a peer creates in an enviro…

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A Path for Substance Use Disorder Content in the Education Setting 38:16

4+ y ago38:16

38:16

Join AMERSA and ATTC in celebrating a journey through AMERSA time with Marianne Marcus, in conversation with Sid Schnoll. This podcast summarizes Dr. Marianne Marcus’ career as a nurse educator and researcher, and the role AMERSA played in developing her understanding of substance use disorders. Her career included sequential faculty positions in H…

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Barriers to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Why Aren’t Pharmacists Stocking Buprenorphine? 40:27

4+ y ago40:27

40:27

Patients with opioid use disorder must be able to obtain prescribed buprenorphine from a pharmacy promptly to reduce risk for a recurrence of use and subsequent morbidity and mortality. However, phone-based secret shopper surveys indicate many pharmacies do not consistently maintain an adequate stock of buprenorphine and qualitative surveys show so…

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Stigma – The Not So Silent Killer 38:10

4+ y ago38:10

38:10

One major barrier to accomplishing a healthcare system that incorporates prevention, early identification, treatment and recovery is the stigma experienced by people with substance use disorders. While we know how to define stigma and how it impacts individuals and families, how we eliminate stigma specifically in healthcare settings to improve car…

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Screening and Brief Intervention, AMERSA, and What You Should Do 41:12

4+ y ago41:12

41:12

In this podcast Rich Saitz, former AMERSA President, is interviewed by Nic Bertholet, discussing whether screening and brief intervention is effective, and what the controversy is. We learn about the evidence, what research should still be done, what we should teach, what we should do in practice, and how it has loomed large at AMERSA.…

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Kimber King, Tj Thompson and Dr. Ruchi Shah, SafeSpot Hotline: Virtual Spotting and Real-Time Overdose Prevention 54:00

1
Dr. Emily Skogrand, Dr. Mike Winer and Dr. Honora Englander, Methadone Outside of an OTP: Meeting People Where They Are 38:14

1
Johanna Sluser, Kelly Brandon, and Kristin Wason, ACT Now: Advancing Hospital Addiction Care Through a Nurse Liaison Program 40:24

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Dr. Holly Drone & Dr. Timothy Kummer, Beyond Overdose: Integrating Buprenorphine into EMS for Lasting Impact 46:51

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Phil McNamara, Bella Wilklow, and Elizabeth Abbs, Enhancing Treatment Access: How collaboration with multidisciplinary providers and community members increases connection to long term care. 38:38

1
Dr. Triveni DeFries, Dairo Romero and Dr. Marlene Martin, Promoting health: Community health workers address unhealthy substance use 45:19

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Dr. Carrie Wilkens, Dr. Brandee Madden, & Dr. Jeff Foote. Stigmatized by Association- Impact of SUD and Stigma on Families 50:21

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Dr. Lauren Broyles, Jackie Slaugenhaupt, and Holly Hagle, Untapping Social Potential: Teetotal Initiative’s Model for Empowering Recovery and Challenging Stigma 46:45

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Michelle Kavouras, Dr. Nichole Nidey, and Dr. Sunny Kung, Why Language Matters in Documentation 51:40

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Meghann Perry, Dr. Dani Snyder-Young, and Dr. Felipe Vasudevan, Dignity Starts With Us: Rewriting the dominant narratives of substance use 55:29

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Michelle Durham, Cindi Salinas, and Dr. Deepika Slawek, On the Texas Frontlines: How Substance Use Disorder Stigma Affects HIV Prevalence in the South 49:42

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Jessica Heil, Dr. Rachel Haroz, & Dr. Jeffery Bratberg, Building Meaning: How Emergency Department Bridge Programs Improve Physicians’ Lives Through Purpose 32:56

1
Siobhan Morse & Nicole O'Donnell, Using Peers to Combat Stigma 35:51

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Dr. Devin Oller, Kayla Strother, and Kate Roberts, Overcoming Substance Use Disorder Stigma in Appalachia 49:58

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Dr. Joe Wright & Allyson Pinkhover, Learning from Hamsterdams: How Zoning, Real Estate, and Public Policy Create Drug Containment Zones 43:43

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Initiating Medications for Opioid Use Disorder—There’s an App for That?!? 26:06

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History of AMERSA with Sid Schnoll 1:14:01

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Key Conversations: Dismantling Racism Against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Across the Substance Use Continuum 37:30

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Palliative Care: Bridging the Gap for Addiction Treatment in People with Serious Illness 34:20

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Leveraging Media and Medicine to Reduce Stigma and Improve Access to Addiction Treatment 36:07

1
Are Peer Counselors the Missing Link in Addiction Care? 44:11

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A Path for Substance Use Disorder Content in the Education Setting 38:16

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Barriers to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Why Aren’t Pharmacists Stocking Buprenorphine? 40:27

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Stigma – The Not So Silent Killer 38:10

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Screening and Brief Intervention, AMERSA, and What You Should Do 41:12