ACAAM Partners with Other Addiction Medicine Organizations to Hold National Addiction Treatment Week October 18–24

by: ACAAM Headquarters
Category: ACAAM News & Events
Tags
Sep
23

When patients are treated appropriately by medical professionals trained in addiction medicine, we can save lives and improve treatment outcomes. With that goal in mind, National Addiction Treatment Week has been created to raise awareness about the critical gap between the number of patients who need addiction treatment and their access to qualified medical professionals trained to provide evidence-based, specialty treatment. It also highlights the urgent need for clinicians to enter the field of addiction medicine and expand the qualified workforce. We hope you will join the week and our efforts to close the treatment gap and save lives.

This year’s theme is focused on inspiring the next generation.

This year, Addiction Treatment Week will focus on encouraging the next generation of clinicians and providers to learn more about addiction, evidence-based treatment, and career paths in the field of addiction medicine. Physicians who are board-certified in addiction medicine and clinicians who treat addiction daily will share why they chose to treat addiction and inspire medical students, residents, and fellows to join them in learning more about evidence-based addiction treatment.

During the week, topics highlighted will include:

  • Stories about treating addiction from the perspective of clinicians who treat addiction
  • Addiction 101: The neurobiology of addiction and how to screen for addiction
  • Tobacco Cessation (in collaboration with UCSF Smoking Cessation Leadership Center)
  • Ending stigma related to addiction and treatment
  • Revealing the truths about alcohol and ways to prevent AUD
  • Diversity and Career Opportunities in the Field of Addiction Medicine
  • Addiction Medicine Fellowship Programs
  • Educational Resources

Learn how to get involved!

Because the week is focused on inspiring medical students, residents, and fellows to learn more about treating addiction and a potential career in addiction medicine, we need your help to engage this population during the week. Here are ways for you and the next generation to join the week and make it stronger (or louder):

  • Bookmark this toolkit for updated messaging and images. Currently, you will find “Save the Date” information you can share.
  • Follow @treatmentweek on Twitter and like and share the week’s messages with their your online communities. The campaign will launch in full force the first week of October.
  • Record a 15-second video about why it is important to treat addiction. Post the video with the #treatmentweek #treataddictionsavelives during the week of Oct. 18-24. Or record the video in advance and drop the video in this Dropbox, and we will post it during the week. We need videos from current addiction medicine specialists and addiction medicine fellows as well as students and residents.
    • “I am a pediatrician and I treat addiction because….”
    • “I am a medical student at [name the school] and I want to learn to treat addiction because…”
    • “I am a fellow in [name the program] and I choose to treat addiction because…..”

Students, residents, and fellows can join our “National Addiction Treatment Week Advisory Group” and help build the week by contacting Christine Merrifield at [email protected].

No matter the medical setting or specialty you work in, saving lives is the endgame.

By putting our combined resources to work, we all contribute to the health and well-being of patients. What a great opportunity to work together to deliver a truly comprehensive 2021 National Addiction Treatment Week for the entire medical community and amplify these important messages.

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