This self=paced online course provides a comprehensive foundation in the integrated management of pain and addiction. Learners will explore the shared neurobiology of pain and substance use disorders, examine how stigma and bias impact patient care, and develop skills to identify and assess patients with or at risk for these conditions. The course highlights evidence-based pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment approaches, emphasizing the importance of multimodal care. Learners will also gain strategies to enhance collaboration across disciplines and design coordinated, patient-centered treatment plans that address both chronic pain and substance use disorder effectively.

What You’ll Learn

After taking this course, learners will be able to:

• Analyze how addiction and pain affect the brain and body, recognize factors that influence their development, and apply safe prescribing practices to support effective treatment.
• Understand how stigma and bias influence the treatment of pain and substance use disorder and apply respectful language and evidence-based strategies to reduce their impact and improve patient outcomes.
• Apply behavioral and evidence-based counseling approaches in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to enhance motivation, support individualized care, and improve outcomes for individuals with opioid use disorder.
• Integrate patient-centered communication, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies, and ongoing monitoring to support safe, multimodal treatment of pain and addiction.
• Develop and apply multimodal, patient-centered treatment plans for pain and addiction by integrating nonpharmacological interventions, effective communication strategies, and appropriate referrals to support comprehensive, low-risk care.
• Collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams to deliver multimodal, patient-centered care for pain and addiction by promoting communication, addressing barriers, and making appropriate referrals to support long-term management.