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The mission of the Medication Addiction Treatment Initiative in the VA (MAT-VA) is to improve health outcomes in Veterans with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) through the use of medications—in combination with non-pharmacological treatment approaches—in a wide variety of outpatient and inpatient clinical environments. To accomplish this mission, MAT-VA provides:

  1. Education
  2. Peer to peer mentoring
  3. External facilitation of evidence-based care
  4. Monitoring and provision of guidance's and regulations
  5. Implementation of innovative approaches of clinical care

Sponsor: US Department of Veterans Affairs. If from Veteran's Affairs, you can access the MAT-VA SharePoint at tinyurl.com/MATVA-VHA

The MAT-VA’s journal club generally occurs on the 3rd and 4th Wednesday of each month. To receive an invite to one of these calls, be added to the listserv, or for questions, please email Spencer.Calder@va.gov.

Upcoming Presentation: "Opioid use disorder management and prescription opioid harms in the context of aging" Presented by Minhee Sung on October 16th at 12-1pm ET. 

You can find a complete list of the MAT-VA's Journal Club webinars below:

    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)

    June 20, 2018

    How to do Addiction Care in Primary Care
    Adam Gordon

    July 18, 2018

    XR Buprenorphine: The Science Adam Gordon
    July 25, 2018 Journal Club: Primary Care and The Opioid-Overdose Crisis - Buprenorphine Myths and Realities Adam Gordon
    August 1, 2018

    DISCUSSION: Difficult Cases and Q&A

    Adam Gordon
    September 5, 2018

    Journal Club: Buprenorphine Myths and Realities

    Adam Gordon

    September 12, 2018

    DISCUSSION: Resources and Q&A

    Adam Gordon
    September 19, 2018

    Buprenorphine Home Induction: The Latest

    Adam Gordon
    September 26, 2018

    Journal Club: Evaluation of ORC

    Katherine Hoggatt
    October 17, 2018

    Stepped Care for OUD - What is it and how can I do it?

    Adam Gordon
    October 24, 2018

    Journal Club: Epidemiology of SUD among Veterans

    Katherine Hoggatt
    November 21, 2018

    Language of Addiction: Does This Reinforce Stigma?

    Adam Gordon
         
    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)

    February 27, 2019

    Buprenorphine for pain

    Adam Gordon

    March 13, 2019

    Buprenorphine for pain Adam Gordon
    March 27, 2019 Journal Club: Pain and Addiction: An Integrative Therapeutic Approach Ajay Manhapra
    April 17, 2019

    Perception of Patients of Medication Addiction Treatment - a Primary Care Focus

    Adam Gordon
    April 25, 2019

    Association Between Opioid Dose Variability and Opioid Overdose Among Adults Prescribed Long-term Opioid Therapy

    Stephan Kertesz

    May 8, 2019

    The Addiction Mini-Residency Program 

    Ellen Edens, Gabriela Garcia 
    June 19, 2019

    Patient Navigation for Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorder

    Jerry Cochran and Team 
    August 28, 2019

    Telemedicine-delivered treatment interventions for substance use disorders

    Lin, Lewei (Allison) 
    October 16, 2019

    Medications for OUD in VA: Historical Trends, Contemporary Strategies. 

    Jessica J, Wyse 
    November 20, 2019

    VHA Notice 2019-18: Buprenorphine Prescribing for Opioid Use Disorder

    Adam Gordon
     

     

     

     

    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)
    January 2020 Predictors of availability of long-acting medication for opioid use disorder Dr. Chelsea Leigh Shover

    February 2020

    "Everything is not right anymore": Buprenorphine experiences in an era of illicit fentanyl Dr. Shannon Miller and Sydney Silverstein, PhD
    May 20, 2020

    The conundrum of long term opioids for pain: "Darned if you do, darned if you don’t”

    Dr. Ajay Manhapra
    May 27, 2020

    Advancing pharmacological treatments for opioid use disorder (ADaPT-OUD): protocol for testing a novel strategy to improve implementation of MAT for veterans with OUD in low-performing facilities

    Hildi Hagedorn, PhD
    June 24, 2020

    ‘Rapid Transition From Methadone to Buprenorphine Utilizing a Micro-dosing Protocol in the Outpatient Veteran Affairs Setting’

    Dr. Joao P De Aquino Lima
    July 15, 2020

    Documented opioid use disorder and its treatment in primary care patients across six U.S. health systems

    Dr. A J Saxon
    July 22, 2020

    Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Medical Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders Within the VA Healthcare System Following Non-Fatal Opioid Overdose

    Dr. Utibe Essien
    August 19, 2020

    “Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of Pharmacotherapy for Opioid Use Disorders in VHA Residential Treatment Programs”

    Dr. Andrea K. Finlay
    August 26, 2020

    Impact of opioid dose escalation on the development of substance use disorders, accidents, self-inflicted injuries, opioid overdoses and alcohol and non-opioid drug-related overdoses: a retrospective cohort study

    Dr. Corey Hayes
    Sept. 23, 2020

    ‘A computerized anxiety sensitivity intervention for opioid use disorders: A pilot investigation among veterans’

    Amanda M. Raines PhD
    October 21, 2020

    Treating Alcohol Use Disorder in the U.S. Veterans: The Role of Traumatic Brain Injury

    Dr. Ricardo Jorge
    October 28, 2020

    Developing a clinical decision support for opioid use disorders: a NIDA center for the clinical trials network working group report.

    Dr. G Bart and Dr. Andrew Saxon
    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)
    January 20, 2021
    "Promoting Patient-Centeredness in Opioid Deprescribing: a Blueprint for De-implementation Science" Stefan G. Kertesz, MD, MSc; Allyson L. Varley, PhD

    January 27, 2021

    Drug Overdose and Suicide Among Veteran Enrollees in the VHA: Comparison Among Local, Regional, and National Data Stephen A. Mudra, MD
    February 17, 2021

    Nonconsensual Dose Reduction Mandates are Not Justified Clinically or Ethically: An Analysis

    Dr. Ajay Manhapra
    February 24, 2021

    The Opioid Epidemic In Veterans Who Were Homeless Or Unstably Housed

    Amanda Midboe
    March 17, 2021

    Depression and Buprenorphine Treatment in Patients with Non-cancer Pain and Prescription Opioid Dependence without Comorbid Substance Use Disorders

    Dr. Jeffrey F Scherrer
    March 24, 2021

    Race, Ethnicity, and Clinical Features of Alcohol Use Disorder Among US Military Veterans: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

    Dr. Megan Carr & Dr. Kristin Serowik 
    May 19, 2021

    An Integrated Pain Team Model: Impact on Pain-Related Outcomes and Opioid Misuse in Patients with Chronic Pain

    Dr. Carolyn Gibson & Dr. Francesca Nicosia
    May 26, 2021

    Impact of Continuing Care on Recovery From Substance Use Disorder

    Dr. James McKay
    June 16, 2021

    Implementation of a pharmacist care manager model to expand availability of medications for opioid use disorder 

    Beth M. DeRonne, PharmD
    June 23, 2021

    Response to coronavirus 2019 in Veterans Health Administration facilities participating in an implementation initiative to enhance access to medication for opioid use disorder

    Allison M. Gustavson, PT, DPT, PhD
    July 21, 2021

    Assessment of the impact of an opioid-specific education series on rates of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder in veterans

    Taylor R. Kirby
    August 18, 2021

    Evaluation of a Fentanyl Test Kit Pilot Program at the San Francisco VA Health Care System

    Tessa Rife-Pennington, PharmD, BCGP
    August 25, 2021 Opioid Use Disorder and Hospitalizations: Recognition and treatment, challenges and opportunities Dr. Michael Spiker
    September 22, 2021 Burden of cannabis use and disorder in the U.S. veteran population: Psychiatric comorbidity, suicidality, and service utilization Melanie Hill
    Sonya Norman
    October 20, 2021 Management of Kratom Dependence with Buprenorphine and Naloxone in a Veteran Population Jamie Lei, PharmD, BCPP
    November 17, 2021 Associations between stopping prescriptions for opioids, length of opioid treatment, and overdose or suicide deaths in US veterans: Observational study Dr. Elizabeth Oliva
         
    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)
    January 19, 2022 Roles and perceptions of nurses during implementation of a medication treatment for opioid use disorder national initiative Ashley Radmall

    January 26, 2022

    Is telemedicine the answer to rural expansion of medication treatment for opioid use disorder? Early experiences in the feasibility study phase of a National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network Trial Andrew Saxon, Yih-Ing Hser
    February 16, 2022

    Starting buprenorphine in the fentanyl era: challenges and approaches

    Ashish Thakrar
    March 16, 2022

    Rationale, design and methods of VA-BRAVE: a randomized comparative effectiveness trial of two formulations of buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder in veterans

    Sandra Springer, Ismene Petrakis
    March 23, 2022

    Examining changing patterns of Veteran overdose

    Lewei (Allison) Lin MD, MS
    April 27, 2022

    Beyond State Scope of Practice Laws for Advanced Practitioners: Additional Supervision Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing

    Basia Andraka-Cristou
    June 15, 2022

    Intranasal Oxytocin for Stimulant Use Disorder Among Male Veterans Enrolled in an Opioid Treatment Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Alex Hickok
    June 22, 2022

    Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist

    Adam Gordon
    July 27, 2022

    Effectiveness of a substance use treatment program for veterans with chronic pain and opioid use disorder

    Ralph Ward
    September 21, 2022 Rapid Overlap Initiation Protocol Using Low Dose Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in an Outpatient Setting: A Case Series Leslie Suen
    September 28, 2022

    Development of an intravenous low-dose buprenorphine initiation protocol

    Lindsay A. Jablonski
    Alia Bodnar
    Rosalyn Stewart
    October 19, 2022

    Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist

    Adam Gordon
    October 26, 2022   Daniel Gottlieb 
    Bradley Watts
    November 16, 2022 Association between opioid therapy trajectories and potential opioid-related adverse health events Corey Hayes 
    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)
    January 18, 2023 Use of retention on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in the VA following COVID-19-related telehealth policy changes Madeline Frost

    February 15, 2023

    Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist
    Adam Gordon
    March 15, 2023 Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist Adam Gordon
    April 19, 2023

    Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist

    Adam Gordon
    April 26, 2023

    Posttraumatic stress disorder, suicide, and unintended overdose death in later life: A national cohort study of veterans aged 50 and older

    Randall Kuffel, Amy Byers, Thomas Neylan
    May 17, 2023

    Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist

    Adam Gordon
    June 21, 2023

    Craving of prescription opioids among veterans with chronic pain 

    Irina Strigo, Tiffany Toor
    June 28, 2023

    Causes of alcohol-attributable death and associated years of potential life lost among LGB and non-LGB veteran men and women in Veterans Health Administration

    Nicholas Livingston
    July 19, 2023 Xylazine spreads across the US: A growing component of the increasingly synthetic and polysubstance overdose crisis.  Fernando Montero
    August 23, 2023 Unhealthy alcohol use and brief intervention rates among High and low complexity Veterans seeking primary care services in the VHA Mielin Jia-Richards
    September 27, 2023 Ask and Ask Again: Repeated Screening for Smoking Increases Likelihood of Prescription for Cessation Treatment Among Women Veterans

    Claire Than, Bevanne Bean-Mayberry, Catherine Schweizer, Melissa Farmer Coste

    October 26, 2023 Buprenorphine 101 for the Non-Addictionologist Training Adam Gordon
    Month Webinar Topic Presenter(s)
    January 17, 2024 Increasing Risk of Cannabis Use Disorder Among U.S. Veterans with Chronic Pain: 2005-2019 Zachary Mannes, PhD, MPH
    January 24, 2024 Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist Adam Gordon, MD, MPH
    February 21, 2024 Technology-Assisted Buprenorphine Treatment in Rural and Nonrural Settings: Two Randomized Clinical Trials Kelly Peck, PhD
    March 20, 2024 Impact of 8 lifestyle factors on mortality and life expectancy among United States veterans: The Million Veteran Program Xuan-Mai Nguyen, MD, PhD; Yanping Li, MD, PhD; Peter Wilson, MD
    March 27, 2024  Diagnostic profiles associated with long-term opioid therapy in active duty servicemembers Steven Dufour, PhD; Joshua Gray, PhD
    April 24, 2024 Buprenorphine 101 for the non-Addictionologist Adam Gordon, MD, MPH
    May 15, 2024 Implementing alcohol-related care in VA hepatology clinics Madeline Frost, PhD
    June 19, 2024 Opioid prescription and risk of atrial fibrillation in younger Veterans  Parul Gandhi, Arshjot Khokhar, Lori Bastian, Brian Malm