It is frustrating for people with a substance use disorder and their families when attempts to seek treatment are met with challenges, or when treatment appears to not work.  It can also be exasperating when someone appears to be in treatment, then falls out of treatment or when this pattern repeats. Even though treatment for opioid use disorder is highly effective, for these and other reasons, it is significantly underused. Medications like buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone, can help people manage their cravings and significantly reduce their risk of dying. However, only a small percentage of people receive treatment, either because they can’t access care, don’t stay in care or don’t believe they need it.

Join us for a deeper look into the realities of addiction treatment and steps your community can take to help reduce stigma and expand paths toward recovery.  First, we will hear the personal story of someone who navigated many of the challenges of treatment and now is in long term recovery. Their compelling lived experience will paint a realistic picture of the complex pathway to recovery, and the reality many people face in cycling in and out of treatment for this chronic, relapsing brain disease. Then we will hear from Dr. Brian Hurley, an addiction physician and the Medical Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention Control for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Dr. Hurley will discuss how treatment works, how care is delivered, and what effective, evidence-based treatment looks like in practice. Finally, we will discuss how misinformation creates barriers to care, and how providers, advocates, and community members can help reduce stigma, broaden awareness, and reach individuals and families who need treatment most. Participants will leave with practical insights and tools to support more compassionate, informed, and accessible pathways to recovery.

This webinar is part of our new series, Building a Movement of Knowledge, Action and Empathy to Prevent Overdose Deaths. Our goal is to increase knowledge of overdose prevention among a broad audience including community members, law enforcement, parents, first responders, educators, teachers, clergy, service providers, businesses, librarians, and more. Help us build an informed, actionable, and empathetic movement by making sure members of your community are registered for this webinar and ongoing series. 

This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, and produced by Dialogue4Health, both programs of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact. Support for this webinar series was made possible through funding from the California Health Care Foundation.