(Part 1) ORN Webinar Series: A two-part, one hour each, webinar being used to look at one clinic's approach to methadone dosing during the COVID 19 pandemic. The first hour will examine regulations in the state of Pennsylvania prior to COVID-19, the changes allowed during the pandemic, one clinic's protocol to address these changes, and outcomes for patients during this time period. The second hour will be devoted to Q&A.

If you have not registered for one of our webinars in the past, please subscribe to AOAAM (https://aoaam.org/subscribe), then login and register for the webinars.

Goals & Objectives: 

1. To examine the heterogeneity of state guidelines for take home medication in methadone treatment
2. To contrast PA's existing guidelines with the changes made by SAMHSA in response to COVID 19
3. To review policies put in place by a single OTP in central PA to operationalize these changes
4. To investigate a few basic outcomes of patient stability in recovery during this time period.

COVID 19 created a crisis in crowding at OTPs; SAMHSA's guidelines helped reduce dosing traffic and protect staff. Whether patient care/treatment continued with good outcomes or created problems relating to diversion, relapse and overdose is still under investigation nationally. I will be presenting on the procedures we followed at one OTP in central PA, and the outcomes we have seen to start the discussion on whether we need to be relaxing our rules in PA permanently.

This webinar series has been approved for a maximum 6, AOA Category 1-A CME credits, and AOA designates this for a maximum of 6, AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of the extent of their participation. 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 American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and AOAAM. The AOA is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians 

Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI083343 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.