Description:  

When compared with other chronic medical conditions, the general public and healthcare providers inordinately stigmatize substance use disorders and the people who have them.  This stigmatization is perpetuated and exacerbated by the language and terms used in reference to substance use disorders, which is more appropriate for willful bad behavior than a medical condition.  This presentation will explore commonly used terms and commonly held concepts related to substance use disorders and their treatment while exploring alternate terms and concepts that are more congruent with the constructs of addiction as a chronic medical condition and also shifting the focus from the problem: the medical condition to the solution: recovery. 

 Objectives:  

Upon completion of this session participants will be able to: 

1. Differentiate between the Acute Care Model of Treatment and the Chronic Care Model. 

2.Articulate at least two phrases commonly used by addiction professionals that contribute to the stigma of SUD. 

3. Increase their understanding of ways the current treatment for SUD could be changed to reflect the Chronic Care Model.  

Contact

Operations and Communications Coordinator Christina Frazier