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Stigma of Addiction Summit

Stigma of Addiction Summit 9am - 3pm (PDT) June 10th

The National Academy of Medicine, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, and Shatterproof are pleased to announce the Stigma of Addiction Summit: a half-day, virtual, action-oriented summit entirely dedicated to understanding, addressing, and eliminating the harmful impacts of stigma on people who use drugs. The goal of the Summit is to elevate current efforts at reducing stigma, identify successes and gaps in the evidence base, and prioritize and identify areas for future research and funding with an explicit focus on stigma, which is often touched upon only marginally in broader conversations about addiction.


The Summit will be an active and forward-looking sharing of ideas and actions to advance how stigma is addressed and reduced as those with addiction seek and obtain treatment, and will be focused on reaching all stakeholders of the U.S. health ecosystem, including those in clinical service delivery, health system stakeholders, universities and academia, public health organizations, and professional member organizations. The Stigma of Addiction Summit has been organized by an interprofessional and interdisciplinary planning committee of people in recovery, clinicians, health profession educators, addiction medicine professionals, government stakeholders, and health professional organizations.

The Stigma of Addiction Summit is free to attend and will be recorded for viewing after the event ends. The Stigma of Addiction Summit is also pleased to offer CME, CNE, ACPE, and continuing education credits for social work – more information on continuing education credit can be found below.


Summit Agenda **biographies for all speakers can be found below the agenda 12:00pm ET | Welcome, Summit Importance, and Intended Attendee Takeaways Learning objectives: Summarize the importance of addressing stigmatization of people who use drugs to improve health outcomes and care, and provide orientation to how the meeting will proceed and the topics that will be covered

  • Victor J. Dzau, MD

  • S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD

  • Gary Mendell, MBA

12:05pm ET | The Personal Impact of Stigma Learning objectives: Illustrate the importance of including people with lived experience in discussions and initiatives designed to reduce stigma; and summarize how stigmatization of people who use drugs reduces access to healthcare.

  • Moderator: Kathryn Burgum

  • Melissa Anderson

  • Laurie Johnson Wade

12:50pm ET | Agenda and Logistics Overview, Dismissal to Concurrent Sessions Richard Bottner, DHA, PA-C

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and Shatterproof. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School designates this internet live course for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This course has been designated by The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School for 1 credit(s) of education in medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

1:00pm ET | CONCURRENT SESSIONS, PART 1 (choose one to attend) Session 1.1 – Stigma of Drug Use, Treatment, and Harm Reduction Why recovery is seemingly less stigmatized than harm reduction practices and safe drug use. How those in recovery, those involved in harm reduction, and health care providers can reduce stigma and treat all patients accessing health care (which includes harm reduction) with dignity and respect. Learning objectives: Distinguish between stigma associated with drug use, substance use disorder treatment, and harm reduction; and examine structural barriers that promote traditional recovery pathways over principles of harm reduction

  • Moderator: Kimberly Sue, MD, PhD

  • Monique Tula, MA

  • Michael Pond, RPN, MSW, RSW

  • Yngvild Olsen, MD, MPH

  • John Giftos, MD

Session 1.2 – Stigma in the Healthcare Setting How different types of providers stigmatize patients in different ways across various healthcare settings and the impact of that stigma. Will include specific call-outs of stigmatizing behavior in various settings to provide context / deeper understanding for health care providers and address the bi-directional issues that providers and patients experience when personal and professional values/expectations are disconnected. Learning objectives: Discuss how stigma of substance use disorders permeates into healthcare settings; and identify stigmatizing actions and behaviors that exist within healthcare settings.

  • Moderator: Alister Martin, MD

  • Scott Hadland, MD

  • Hector Colon-Rivera, MD, CMRO

  • Bill Kinkle, RN, EMT-P, CRS

  • Pooja Lagisetty, MD

Session 1.3 – Structural Stigma and How Systems Discriminate and Intersect How stigma manifests in policies and practices and creates barriers for treatment, recovery, and safe use. Will include various intersections of stigma drivers and policy outcomes including legislative expertise. Learning objectives: Discuss legislative and regulatory policies that promote stigma of people with substance use disorders; and identify policy at the institutional, state, and federal level which may contribute to stigmatization of people who use drugs.

  • Moderator: Helena Hansen, MD, PhD

  • Sheila Vakharia, PhD, LMSW

  • Shelly Weizman, JD

  • Myra Mathis, MD

  • Morgan Godvin

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and Shatterproof. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School designates this internet live course for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This course has been designated by The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School for 1 credit(s) of education in medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

2:00pm ET | Break 2:15pm ET | CONCURRENT SESSIONS, PART 2 (choose one to attend) Session 2.1 – The Role of Advocates and Families Learning objectives: Discuss the role of family and close personal contacts in addressing the stigma of substance use disorders; and list strategies to engage family and close personal contacts of people with substance use disorders.

  • Moderator: Jennifer Potter, PhD, MPH

  • Leslie McBain

  • Dinah Ortiz

  • Ryan Hampton


Session 2.2 – How to Intervene or Change Behavior in Real-Time How to own up to your own fumbles and to course-correct in real-time with suggested actions to eliminate stigma when you see it in practice and strategies to balance quality care with challenging requirements/regulations. Learning objectives: Identify knowledge, attitude, and behaviors through self-reflection that may be amplifying stigmatization of people with substance use disorders; and implement approaches to reduce stigma of people with substance use disorders within one’s self and share such approaches with others.

  • Moderator: Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, MD, MPH

  • Guy Felicella

  • Gilberto Perez, MPH

  • Laura Guzman, JD

Session 2.3 – Research, Evidence, and Mechanisms for Action Learning objectives: Describe the current literature of how stigmatization of substance use disorders contributes to morbidity and mortality for people with substance use disorders; and formulate areas of further research specifically related to stigma of substance use disorders.

  • Moderator: Brea Perry, PhD

  • Jessie Gaeta, MD

  • Tom Hill, MSW

  • Beth McGinty, PhD

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and Shatterproof. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School designates this internet live course for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This course has been designated by The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School for 1 credit(s) of education in medical ethics and/or professional responsibility. Disclosures: Speakers’ Disclosures: Speakers for this educational activity have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. Planners’ Disclosures: Rich Bottner, DHA, PA-C; Alanna Boulton, PMP; Elena Mendez-Escobar, PhD; Eri Solomon; Joy Rucker; Cheyenne Johnson, RN, MPH, CCRP; John F. Kelly, PhD; Victoria Bosman; Jenna Ogilvie, MFA; Aisha Salman, MPH; and Matthew Stefanko, planners for this educational activity, have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. The CME Advisory Committee, reviewers for this educational activity have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

3:10pm ET | BREAK 3:40pm ET | Innovation Session Video Presentation Learning objectives: Describe and demonstrate stigma research or reduction efforts that are being or have been deployed in the practice setting or in the general public; present and discuss the efficacy and results of implemented stigma research and reduction efforts; and discuss the implications of implemented stigma research and reduction efforts including wider applicability to the practice setting, knowledge development, and remaining gaps in research and practical application. Moderator: Aisha Salman, MPH

4:15pm ET | BREAK 4:30pm ET | Closing Keynote Learning objectives: Describe the national policy landscape as it relates to substance use disorders and drug use; and describe historical context of drug use policy and its connection to stigma and ability for people who use drugs to access healthcare.

  • Moderator: Margot Savoy, MD, MPH, FAAFP

  • Regina LaBelle, JD

  • Keith Wailoo, PhD

5:30pm ET | Thank you and Adjourn

  • Richard Bottner, DHA, PA-C

  • Aisha Salman, MPH

  • Matthew Stefanko


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