In this episode, host Cheryl Viracola, Director of Practice Advancement with the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists, speaks with Dr. Vera Reinstein and Dr. Charles McCormick about how prescribers and pharmacists can work together to expand access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). They explore how collaborative care models make treatment more accessible, the role of prescribers in initiating partnerships, and practical steps to build these connections. Listeners will also le...
In this episode, host Pollen Williamson, Director of Physician and Advanced Practice Provider Initiatives at the Governor’s Institute, sits down with Dr. Michael Baca-Atlas—family physician, addiction medicine specialist, and current President of the North Carolina Society of Addiction Medicine (NCSAM). Together, they explore the vital role of NCSAM, the benefits of membership, and how the organization is advancing care in the Tar Heel State. Listen now to get insight on how you can connect, ...
In this episode, Peter Rives, MSW, LCSWA, LCASA, shares his presentation from the Governor’s Institute’s 2025 Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Conference. Focused on motivational interviewing (MI), this session explores how MI can be used to effectively engage adolescents in conversations about behavior change—especially when they're feeling unsure or resistant. Peter breaks down the core principles and spirit of motivational interviewing, offers practical tips for applying MI techniques in ...
In this episode of the Addiction Medicine Podcast, we’re joined by Anna Stanley, State Administrator of the State Opioid Treatment Authority (SOTA), to discuss the role of Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) in addressing the opioid crisis in North Carolina. We explore what OTPs are, common barriers to access like stigma and transportation, recent policy changes, and innovative approaches like mobile medication units. Tune in to learn how North Carolina is working to expand access to treat...
Season 4 of the Addiction Medicine Podcast kicks off with a 2-part episode on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). In Part 1, we dive into how the term ‘infection’ can reduce stigma, encourage testing, and emphasize the importance of regular screenings. We also discuss current trends, cultural trends, health inequities, and the role of healthcare providers in STI care. And there's even a rap song about syphilis! Joining us for this important conversation are Dr. Shannon Dowler, a board-cer...
In this episode, Dr. Cynthia Kuhn gives an update on cannabis in North Carolina and talks about 'New Drugs on the Radar' at the 2023 Addiction Medicine Conference in Asheville, NC. Dr. Kuhn is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with S...
This presentation, 'Evolution of Fentanyl: Understanding the Relevance of Xylazine' was given at the 2023 Addiction Medicine Conference in Asheville, North Carolina by Robyn Jordan, MD, PhD and Zoe McElligott, PhD. Dr. Jordan is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Addiction Medicine Specialist and is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. McElligott is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Send us a text...
Episode 4 is a presentation from the 2023 Addiction Medicine Conference in Asheville, North Carolina from Dr. Jon Zibbell, a senior scientist in the Center for Behavioral Health Epidemiology, Implementation & Evaluation Research at RTI International. It's titled, 'Emerging Trends in Overdose Mortality Against the Backdrop of Growing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Co-Use: Implications for Public Health.' Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content ...
In this episode of our 3-part series on recent changes to the rules around who can prescribe buprenorphine, we get answers to questions that providers and pharmacists may have about these changes. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families at our YouTube Page - youtube.com/govinst.
Now that all practitioners who have a current DEA registration that includes Schedule III authority can prescribe buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder, pharmacies may now see an increase in the number of prescriptions for the life-saving medication. In this second episode we talk with Dr, Cheryl Viracola, Director of Practice Advancement for the NC Association of Pharmacists. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we d...
We're kicking off Season 3 of the Addiction Medicine Podcast with a hot topic - buprenorphine. Over the last year, there have been important changes in requirements related to prescribing buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder. To better understand these changes, we talk to Dr. Blake Fagan, Clinical Director of Substance Use Disorder Initiatives at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction...
In this bonus content, you’ll hear eight common questions women ask, or want to ask their prenatal care providers. Judith Johnson-Hostler, a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist and Perinatal Substance Use Specialist, and Melissa Godwin, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, respond to the questions, sharing facts, resources and other tips for patients and providers along the way. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the ...
The 4th episode of Season 2 looks at some unusual and interesting cases in addiction medicine. Dr. Edwin Salsitz, an attending physician in the Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Division of Addiction Medicine in New York City since 1983, gave this presentation on 'Interesting Cases in Addiction Medicine' at the 2022 Addiction Medicine Conference in Asheville, NC. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with Service Members...
Episode 3 addresses some of the unintended consequences of the 2016 CDC Opioid Guidelines which were widely misinterpreted and implemented. After the guidelines were published, Dr. Stefan Kertesz, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and attending physician at the Birmingham VA Health Care System, began researching and writing about the unintended consequences, especially for stable patients with severe chronic pain who were subject to prescription opioid reduct...
Over the past 13 years, the Governor’s Institute’s Addiction Medicine Conference in Asheville, North Carolina has become the region’s premiere conference for substance use disorder related education. In this first episode of season two, you’ll hear an outstanding presentation from the 2022 conference by Dr. Matthew Johnson - a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. This presentation, Psilocybin in the Treatment of Mental Health, explores the resear...
This bonus content is from a presentation that Victor gave at the Governor's Institute's Addiction Medicine Essentials Conference in November 2020. Send us a textThanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families at our YouTube Page - youtube.com/govinst.
In Episode 4, Victor discusses why behavioral health is distinctly vulnerable to implicit bias. As he puts it, "treatment models were built on bias." Victor offers a personal story (featured at length in a recent Ted Talk) that challenges listeners own preconceptions and offers providers a critical lesson on equity in the process. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with Service Members, Veterans, and Their Fam...
Episode 3 features Victor's take on lessons learned as a result of the pandemic. As he puts it, "Just because you have a good idea doesn’t mean it is perceived that way." Victor discusses ways to foster community partnerships, build relationships and narrow the equity gap among service providers and elsewhere. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families at our YouTube ...
Episode 2 features Victor's take on equity, as it's learned, seen and socialized. He discusses his own childhood as the son of a North Carolina pastor and the challenges of growing up in a faith-based community in rural NC. Victor closes this take with how the pandemic and social media have changed the conversations around mental health. Send us a text Thanks for listening! Get more of our addiction medicine-related content and learn about the work we do with Service Members, Veterans, and Th...
In Season 1 of the Addiction Medicine Podcast, Victor Armstrong, Chief Health Equity Officer at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, discusses equity as it relates to substance use disorder and mental health. In Episode 1, Victor discusses what equity means to him, how he understands systemic racism and where his views may veer from popular consensus. Victor untangles suicide rates among young African-American men and offers thoughts on where our focus as healthcare pro...