• How to create an account and enroll in the course?

       

  • Welcome to Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care (SUDPC)

       
     

    57The SUDPC course provides an introduction to the prevention, screening, and treatment (medication, risk of interactions with substances, psychological therapies) of substance use disorders related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. The course also provides an introduction to the health consequences associated with substance use disorders and the links between substance use disorders and mental health disorders. Students will gain practical knowledge on how to communicate with patients, conduct a medical consultation to assess substance use disorders, monitor treatment effects, and decide when to refer their patients to specialized settings. The course uses various formats of learning resources (e.g., academic publications, health agencies recommendations, medical associations recommendations, and government guidelines), and its activities allow students to practice techniques with their local peers in hopes of reducing the prevalence and burden of substance use disorders.

    This SUDPC course is sponsored by the Africa Mental Health Foundation,  and the University of Florida. Like all NextGenU.org courses, it is competency-based, using competencies adapted from the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) and learning resources from accredited, world-class organizations such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the World Health Organization.

    The course was initially co-developed by Veronic Clair, MD, MSc, CCFP, FRCPC; Sukhdeep Jassar, MPH; and Abednego Musau, MBChB. The course was redesigned and updated by Pablo Baldiviezo, MD, DiplEd; Carolina Bustillos, MD, DiplEd; Genikka Camille Gabral, B.ED, MSc; Magali Collonnaz, MD, MPH, MSc; Felix Emeka Anyiam, MPH, MScPH, DataSc.; Yhan O'Neil Williams, BSc, Ph.D.; Hugo Rojas, MD, MSc, DiplEd;

    For publications on NextGenU.org’s courses’ efficacy, see NextGenU.org’s publication page. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of future updates, new courses, and to be part of our community.

     There are six (6) modules to complete, which provide an introduction to: 

    1. Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care
    2. Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders
    3. Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders
    4. Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disorders
    5. Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations
    6. Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management

    The completion time for this course is estimated at 148 hours, comprising 28 hours of learning resources, 56 hours of studying and assimilating content, and 64 hours of participating in learning activities and quizzes, to assist the learners in the synthesis of learning materials. This course is equivalent to 3 credit hours.
    The course requires completion of Discussion Forums and Peer Activities. At the end of each module, there is a practice quiz of ten (10) multiple-choice questions. After you’ve completed each module, quiz, and learning activity, at the end of the course, you’ll have access to a final exam consisting of fifty (50) multiple-choice questions and a chance to evaluate this course. Participants have up to three opportunities to take the final exam and achieve the required score of >=80%.Once you’ve passed the last test, you will be able to download a certificate of completion from NextGenU.org and our course’s co-sponsoring organizations. We keep your personal information confidential, never sell any of your information, and only use anonymized data for research purposes. Also, we are happy to report your testing information and share your work with anyone (your school, employer, etc.) at your request. 

    Engaging with this Course:

    You may browse this course for free to learn for your personal enrichment; there are no requirements. To register for this course, it is a requirement that learners have a college-level/bachelor's degree.

    To obtain a certificate, a learner must first register for the course and then successfully complete:

    • Pre-test,
    • All the reading requirements,
    • All quizzes and pass with a 80% with unlimited attempts,
    • All peer activities,
    • All discussion forums,
    • The final exam with a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 3 attempts, and
    • The self and course evaluation forms.

    To obtain credit:

    • Complete all requirements listed above for the certificate, and
    • Your learning institution or workplace should approve the partner-university-sponsored NextGenU.org course for educational credit, as they would for their learner taking a course anywhere.

    NextGenU.org is happy to provide your institution with:

    • A link to and description of the course training, so they can see all its components, including the co-sponsoring universities and other professional organization co-sponsors,
    • Your grade on the final exam,
    • Your work products (e.g., case study activities) and any other required or optional shared materials that you produce and authorize to share with them,
    • Your evaluations -- course, self-assessments, and
    • A copy of your certificate of completion, with the co-sponsoring universities and other organizations listed.

    To obtain a degree, NextGenU.org co-sponsors degree programs with institutional partners. To obtain a full degree co-sponsored with NextGenU.org, registrants must be enrolled in a degree program as a student of a NextGenU.org institutional partner. If you think your institution might be interested in offering a degree with NextGenU.org, contact us.

    We hope you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your assessment and feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

    Here are the next steps to take the course and earn a certificate.

    This course meets nationally approved standards of education developed for the addiction/substance use disorders counseling profession. This course's participants are assured that the continuing education (CE) credits provided will be accepted toward national credentialing by the NAADAC Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP), as well as by many of the individual state licensing/certification bodies in the addiction and other helping professions.

    *The previous version of this course is not available for new registrations. Only students that were registered before can complete it.

  • Module 1: Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care

    885Competency covered in this module:   
    • Understand and be receptive to including mental health and substance use disorder services in primary care.

    Approximate time required for the readings for this module (at 144 words/minute): 10 hours and 19 minutes.

    • Module 1: Lesson 1: General Information

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Discuss how primary health care can be involved in lessening the burden of mental illness, including substance use disorders.

      • Define the concept of "task-shifting."

      • Describe the WHO mhGAP principles of care and priority conditions.

      • Summarize the science behind substance abuse and its possible effects on health and social functioning.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Mental health in primary care: illusion or inclusion? URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections: Executive summary (Page 1), The issue (Pages 4-5), Opportunities and challenges (Page 7), and Actions (Pages 2 and 9-10). (22 minutes)

      WHO - 2018

    • url icon
      Task shifting and task sharing in the health sector in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence, success indicators, challenges, and opportunities URL
      Students must
      View

      Read Pages 1-2 and Figure 1. (10 minutes)

      Pan African Medical Journal - 2023

    • url icon
      mhGAP Intervention Guide URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the preface (pg. iii), the introduction (pgs. 1-4), the module "Essential Care & Practice," (pgs. 5-14), and the "Overview of Priority MNS Conditions" (pgs 16-18) to understand the World Health Organization's recommendations on addressing mental, neurological and substance use disorders in primary care. (35 minutes)

      WHO - 2019

    • url icon
      Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections "Drug Misuse and Addiction", "Drugs and the Brain," and "Addiction and Health." (41 minutes)

      National Institute on Drug Abuse - 2020

    • forum icon
      Module 1: Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care Forum
      Students must
      View
      Start discussions: 1

      SLOs:

      • Discuss how primary health care can be involved in lessening the burden of mental illness, including substance use disorders

      • Define the concept of "task-shifting"

      • Describe the WHO mhGAP principles of care and priority conditions

      • Summarize the science behind substance abuse and its possible effects on health and social functioning

      General Instructions:

      In this activity, you will demonstrate your understanding of the foundational concepts of integrating substance use disorder services in primary care settings.

      Step 1: Select and Reflect

      • Review the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Intervention Guide, focusing on the sections related to substance use disorders and their integration into primary care.

      • Examine the concept of "task-shifting" in healthcare delivery, particularly as it applies to mental health and substance use disorders.

      • Study the neurobiology of addiction and the evidence base for substance use disorder interventions in primary care settings.

      • Review the current global burden of substance use disorders and the potential role of primary care in addressing this burden.

      Step 2: Respond

      Based on your readings, post your thoughts (300-500 words) addressing the following:

      • Analyze how primary care can effectively integrate substance use disorder services using the task-shifting approach

      • Discuss the WHO mhGAP principles of care and how they can be implemented in primary care settings

      • Explain the neurobiological basis of substance use disorders and how this understanding can inform treatment approaches in primary care

      • Propose evidence-based strategies for primary care providers to address the burden of substance use disorders in their communities

      Step 3: Share

      To share your work, click on the "Add a new discussion topic" button under this post and paste your work into the "Message" box. Make sure to reference others' intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B.: references are excluded from word counts.


    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 1

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80%.

    • Required Learning Resources
    • resource icon
      Lesson Summary: Module 1: Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care File
      Students must
      Mark as done

      The lesson summary includes key information needed to meet the objectives of this module. You are encouraged to review it carefully. At the end of the lesson summary, you'll also find a list of references with clickable links, you can explore them if you'd like to learn more or dive deeper into the topic.

      355.0 KB
    •  
      Supplementary Learning Resources (Not Required)
    • resource icon
      Study Guide: Module 1: Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care File

      In this document, we summarized key topics of the module to help you study. Please note that these notes do not cover all of the material in its entirety; you are still encouraged to read and study all of the required learning resources.

      313.8 KB
    • page icon
      Flashcards Module 1: Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care Page

      Here are specialized flashcards designed to reinforce and test your knowledge throughout this course.

    • scorm icon
      Microlearning Module 1: Foundations of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care SCORM package

  • Module 2: Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders

    66Competency covered in this module: 
    • Being aware of and being able to address stigma promoting and protecting the human rights of those you serve.


     Approximate time required for the readings for this module (at 144 words/minute): 22 hours and 10 minutes.

    • Module 2: Lesson 1: Policies and Legislation

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Describe stigma and its potential impact, as well as the practical strategies to address it.

      • Describe how physician/clinician attitudes toward patients with substance use disorders can impact recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of patients.

      • Illustrate care that is free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, nationality, ethnicity, indigenous or social origin, property, birth, age, or other status.

      • Discuss how to provide care in a way that respects the dignity of the person and is culturally sensitive and appropriate.

      • Discuss how to minimize stigma, marginalization, and discrimination, and promote the social inclusion of people with mental, neurological, and substance use disorders by fostering strong links with employment, educational, social (including housing), and other relevant sectors.

      Required Learning Resources
    • url icon
      Understanding and Addressing Mental Health Stigma Across Cultures for Improving Psychiatric Care: A Narrative Review URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire paper. (18 minutes)

      Cureus - 2023

    • url icon
      Patient Communication In Substance Abuse Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire paper. (10 minutes)

      StatPearls - 2021

    • url icon
      Human rights and health URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (14 minutes)

      WHO - 2023

    • url icon
      mhGAP Intervention Guide. URL
      Students must
      View

      Under "Essential Care & Practice," read the sections "Use effective communication skills" and "Promote respect and dignity" in Module 1: Essentiel care and practice (pgs. 6-7). (4 minutes)

      WHO - 2019

    • url icon
      Reducing the stigma of mental health disorders with a focus on low- and middle-income countries URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire paper. (33 minutes)

      Asian Journal of Psychiatry - 2021

    • Module 2: Lesson 2: International and National Standards

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Explain international and national standards, legislation, and policies on mental health and human rights.

      • Demonstrate how to pay greater attention to the patient's right to privacy and confidentiality.

      • Demonstrate how a patient (or their designated decision-maker) is aware of the proposed therapy and has given their free and informed permission.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Mental health, human rights and legislation: guidance and practice URL
      Students must
      View

      Read from "Chapter 1: Rethinking legislation on mental health" to the end of "1.4 The international human rights framework." (35 minutes)

      WHO - United Nations Human Rights - 2023

    • url icon
      Patient Confidentiality URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (1 hour 58 minutes)

      StatPearls- 2023

    • url icon
      Consent: A Guide for Canadian Physicians URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the document to learn about consent. (60 minutes)

      The Canadian Medical Protective Association-Empowering better healthcare - 2024

    • url icon
      Informed Consent URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (1 hour 24 minutes)

      StatPearls - 2024

    • forum icon
      Module 2: Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders Forum
      Students must
      View
      Start discussions: 1

      SLOs:

      • Describe stigma and its potential impact, as well as the practical strategies to address it

      • Describe how physician/clinician attitudes toward patients with substance use disorders can impact recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of patients

      • Illustrate care that is free from discrimination

      • Discuss how to provide care in a way that respects dignity and is culturally appropriate

      • Explain international and national standards on mental health and human rights

      • Demonstrate how to respect patient privacy and informed consent

      General Instructions:

      In this activity, you will work to develop an anti-stigma intervention for healthcare settings that addresses human rights concerns in substance use disorder treatment.

      Step 1: Research and Analysis

      • Review international human rights standards relevant to mental health and substance use disorders, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

      • Examine evidence on the impact of stigma on healthcare outcomes for people with substance use disorders

      • Study effective anti-stigma interventions that have been implemented in healthcare settings

      • Research policies and legislation that protect the rights of individuals with substance use disorders

      Step 2: Create and Submit

      Develop a comprehensive anti-stigma intervention plan (500-750 words) that includes:

      • Assessment of current stigma-related barriers in healthcare settings

      • Analysis of how clinician attitudes affect diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders

      • Proposed evidence-based strategies to address identified barriers

      • Implementation plan that incorporates human rights principles

      • Evaluation metrics to measure effectiveness

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 2

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80%.


      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Module 1 is marked complete
    • Required Learning Resources
    • resource icon
      Lesson Summary: Module 2: Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders File
      Students must
      Mark as done

      The lesson summary includes key information needed to meet the objectives of this module. You are encouraged to review it carefully. At the end of the lesson summary, you'll also find a list of references with clickable links, you can explore them if you'd like to learn more or dive deeper into the topic.

      520.9 KB
    •  
      Supplementary Learning Resources (Not Required)
    • resource icon
      Study Guide: Module 2: Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders File

      In this document, we summarized key topics of the module to help you study. Please note that these notes do not cover all of the material in its entirety; you are still encouraged to read and study all of the required learning resources.

      495.6 KB
    • page icon
      Flashcards Module 2: Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders Page

      Here are specialized flashcards designed to reinforce and test your knowledge throughout this course.

    • scorm icon
      Microlearning Module 2: Addressing Stigma and Human Rights in Substance Use Disorders SCORM package

  • Module 3: Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders

    86Competency covered in this module: 
    • Understand the various best practices for the medical management of tobacco, alcohol, and other substance use disorders in primary care.


     Approximate time required for the readings for this module (at 144 words/minute): 34 hours and 4 minutes.

    • Module 3: Lesson 1: Tobacco Specific Information and Approaches

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Discuss the effectiveness of tobacco cessation interventions.

      • Recognize quick, in-practice resources to support tobacco cessation interventions.

      • Describe the personal health disease risks (cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer) associated with tobacco use.

      • Describe the general benefits of quitting smoking.

      • Discuss the symptoms of tobacco withdrawal and the methods of dealing with those symptoms.

      • Summarize the health consequences of involuntary (secondhand) exposure to tobacco smoke.

      • Describe the link between tobacco and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and be familiar with best practices for the management of COPD.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Tobacco: Health benefits of smoking cessation URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article  (7 minutes)

      WHO - 2020

    • url icon
      Effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions among adults: an overview of systematic reviews URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections "Background", "Discussion", and "Conclusions"." (63 minutes)

      BMC Systematic Reviews - 2024

    • url icon
      Clinical Cessation Tools URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the webpage and the first two PDF documents: "You Can Help Your Patients Quit Tobacco Use" and "A Practical Guide to Help Your Patients Quit Using Tobacco." (13 minutes)

      CDC - 2024

    • url icon
      What are the physical health consequences of tobacco use? URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article (11 minutes)

      National Institute on Drug Abuse - 2020

    • url icon
      Health Risks of Smoking Tobacco URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (49 minutes)

      ACS - 2024

    • url icon
      Benefits of Quitting URL
      Students must
      View

      Watch the video and read the entire webpage. (22 minutes)

      CDC - 2024

    • url icon
      Handling Nicotine Withdrawal and Triggers When You Decide To Quit Tobacco URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (1 hour 32 minutes)

      NIH- 2022

    • url icon
      Health Problems Caused by Secondhand Smoke URL
      Students must
      View

      Read this resource to learn more about the effects of secondhand smoke on the health of children. (19 minutes)

      CDC - 2025

    • url icon
      Tobacco and COPD: presenting the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Knowledge Summary URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (1 hour 54 minutes)

      BBMC - 2024

    • Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Tobacco Cessation Tools & Resources URL

      This webpage lists various smoking cessation tools and resources. In the section "Physician Resources and Tools," read the first document, "Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation Toolkit," and watch the video "Video: Mental Health Conditions and Cigarettes."
      Although not required, you can read any other resource from this webpage. (27 minutes)

      The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation - 2020

    • Module 3: Lesson 2: General Approaches to Address Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Describe the general approaches to address alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use in primary care.

      • Recognize the symptoms of acute intoxication for a substance and treat or refer accordingly.

      • Demonstrate how to take a thorough medical history, including the history of the presenting complaint(s), past history, and family history (as relevant), and know the red flags for substance use disorders.

      • Summarize the evidence-based model of brief intervention in primary care for other psychoactive substances.
      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Primary Healthcare Approach to Substance Abuse Management URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (13 minutes)

      South African Family Practice - 2021

    • url icon
      Identification of and Treatment for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Primary Care Settings URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (8 minutes)

      American Academy of Family Physicians - 2019

    • url icon
      mhGAP Intervention Guide for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders in Non-specialized Health settings: mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Version 2.0 URL
      Students must
      View

      In the "mhGAP Intervention Guide," review the section entitled "Disorders due to substance use" on pages 105 to 130. (51 minutes)

      WHO - 2015

    • url icon
      TIP 45 Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire web page. (35 minutes)

      Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - 2015

    • url icon
      Treatment of Substance Use Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article plus (15 minutes)

      CDC- 2024

    • url icon
      Medical History URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (47 minutes)

      StatPearls - 2024

    • url icon
      Gathering Information About Substance Use URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage.. (5 minutes)

      Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - 2021

    • url icon
      Red and Yellow Flag Behaviors for Substance Use Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Download the PDF and read the entire document.. (1 minute)

      UMass Chan Medical School - 2019

    • url icon
      The Asam Criteria Assessment Interview Guide URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire document. (35 minutes)

      American Society of Addiction Medicine - 2020

    • url icon
      Brief Interventions for Substance Use Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections on "Efficacy Of Brief Interventions In Various Substance Use Disorders" and "Special Populations And Newer Delivery Formats". (50 minutes)

      Wolters Kluwer -- Medknow Publications - 2020

    • url icon
      Screening and Brief Intervention in Substance Use Disorders: Its Clinical Utility and Feasibility Update from Available Literatures URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections: 1.4, 1.5, 2.2-2.7. (1 hour 20 minutes)

      Intechopen - 2020

    • Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      What Is a Psychiatric Evaluation? URL

      Read the entire post. (26 minutes)

      Verywell Mind's - 2024

    • Module 3: Lesson 3: Alcohol Use Disorder Specific Information

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Describe the specific effects of alcohol on the overall health.

      • Describe the specific effects of alcohol on the liver.

      • Demonstrate how to assess the person for alcohol withdrawal symptoms and treat or refer accordingly.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Alcohol Use and Your Health URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (13 minutes)

      CDC - 2025

    • url icon
      What are the effects of alcohol? URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (20 minutes)

      Australian Government Department of Health - 2024

    • url icon
      Alcohol-related liver disease URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage and the video titled: "Video: liver disease" (20 minutes)

      NHS - 2025

    • url icon
      Alcohol-associated liver disease: A review on its pathophysiology, diagnosis and drug therapy URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the "Introduction" and "Alcohol consumption and ALD" sections. (8 minutes)

      Elsevier B.V. - 2021

    • url icon
      Clinical Practice Guideline on Alcohol Withdrawal Management URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the summary of recommendations (pp. 4-15), stop at the Introduction. (55 minutes)

      The American Society of Addiction Medicine - 2020

    • url icon
      Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale - Revised (CIWA-Ar) URL
      Students must
      View

      Download the document and read the entire scale. (5 minutes)

      Insight - 2024

    • url icon
      Evaluation of the course and treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome with the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol – Revised: A systematic review-based meta-analysis URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the abstract and the introduction (pages 1 and 2). (10 minutes)

      Drug and Alcohol Dependence - 2021

    • Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Various Systems of the Human Body: A Systematic Review URL

      Read the entire article. (60 minutes)

      Cureus Inc. - 2022

    • forum icon
      Module 3: Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders Forum

      SLOs:

      • Discuss effective tobacco cessation interventions and resources

      • Describe health risks associated with tobacco use and benefits of quitting

      • Describe approaches to address various substance use disorders in primary care

      • Recognize symptoms of intoxication and withdrawal

      • Demonstrate assessment and intervention skills for substance use disorders

      General Instructions:

      In this activity, you will demonstrate your understanding of evidence-based approaches to the medical management of substance use disorders in primary care.

      Step 1: Select and Reflect

      • Review clinical practice guidelines for tobacco cessation interventions

      • Study the pharmacological and behavioral treatments for alcohol use disorder

      • Examine the assessment and management of withdrawal syndromes

      • Research the integration of substance use disorder treatment in primary care settings

      Step 2: Respond

      Create a detailed post (400-600 words) addressing:

      • Evidence-based approaches to tobacco cessation appropriate for primary care settings

      • Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for alcohol use disorder

      • Assessment and management strategies for substance intoxication and withdrawal

      • Implementation challenges and solutions for substance use disorder treatment in primary care

      • Comparative effectiveness of different intervention approaches

      Step 3: Share

      To share your work, click on the "Add a new discussion topic" button under this post and paste your work into the "Message" box. Make sure to reference others' intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B.: references are excluded from word counts).

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 3

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80%.


      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Module 2 is marked complete
    • Required Learning Resources
    • resource icon
      Lesson Summary: Module 3: Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders File
      Students must
      Mark as done

      The lesson summary includes key information needed to meet the objectives of this module. You are encouraged to review it carefully. At the end of the lesson summary, you'll also find a list of references with clickable links, you can explore them if you'd like to learn more or dive deeper into the topic.

      681.7 KB
    •  
      Supplementary Learning Resources (Not Required)
    • resource icon
      Study Guide: Module 3: Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders File

      In this document, we summarized key topics of the module to help you study. Please note that these notes do not cover all of the material in its entirety; you are still encouraged to read and study all of the required learning resources.

      798.7 KB
    • page icon
      Flashcards Module 3: Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders Page

      Here are specialized flashcards designed to reinforce and test your knowledge throughout this course.

    • scorm icon
      Microlearning Module 3: Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders SCORM package

  • Module 4: Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disorders

    75
    Competency covered in this module:
    • Understand how to effectively screen for substance use disorders using the ASSIST package.
    • Be able to deliver an effective brief intervention to address substance abuse.
    Approximate time required for the readings for this module (at 144 words/minute): 13 hours and 49 minutes.

    • Module 4: Lesson 1: Ability to Screen Effectively and Quickly for Substance Use Disorders

      Learning Objectives:
      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
      • Demonstrate the skills necessary to screen for substance disorders using the ASSIST Screening Tool.
      • Recognize the skills required for addiction prevention counseling.
      • Demonstrate the skills that help set respectful limits on patient requests for prescription medication.
      • Demonstrate how to clearly and supportively recommend treatment to patients with substance use disorders.
      • Demonstrate the skills for evaluating a patient’s stage of change, readiness to accept the diagnosis, and readiness to undertake behavior change.
      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      How to use the ASSIST-Lite screening tool to identify alcohol and drug use and tobacco smoking URL
      Students must
      View

      Read-only the section "How to use the ASSIST-Lite tool: a step-by-step guide". (25 minutes)

      Public Health England - 2021

    • url icon
      Addiction Counseling Competencies: The AddictionCounselingCompetenciesThe Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire web page (20 minutes)

      WCC Library - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - 2017

    • url icon
      Prescribing drugs of dependence in general practice, Part C1 URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the section "Key principles for appropriate opioid prescribing in general practice" on page 1, the section "Clinical governance - 2.1 Patient focus" on pages 13 to 15, and the section "2.4 Accountable prescribing of opioids in general practice" on pages 21 to 23. (18 minutes)

      The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners - 2019

    • url icon
      Treatment and Recovery URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (24 minutes)

      NIDA - 2020

    • url icon
      Brief intervention in substance use disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (29 minutes)

      US National Library of Medicine - 2018

    • url icon
      Substance use disorders: Motivational interviewing URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections: “Overview”, “Psychological theory “, “Readiness to Change”, “Specific Techniques”, and “Principles”. (60 minutes)

      Wolterskluwer - 2025

    • forum icon
      Module 4: Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disorders Forum
      Students must
      View
      Start discussions: 1

      SLOs:

      • Demonstrate skills for screening substance use disorders using the ASSIST tool

      • Recognize addiction prevention counseling skills

      • Demonstrate skills for setting limits, recommending treatment, and evaluating readiness for change

      General Instructions:

      In this peer activity, you will practice implementing screening and brief intervention techniques for substance use disorders in primary care settings.

      Step 1: Preparation

      • Review the WHO ASSIST screening tool and implementation guidelines

      • Study the principles of Motivational Interviewing for substance use disorders

      • Examine the Stages of Change model and its application to substance use treatment

      Step 2: Develop and Record

      Create a simulated screening and brief intervention demonstration that includes:

      • Implementation of the ASSIST screening tool with a standardized patient (role-played)

      • Assessment of readiness for change

      • Delivery of a brief intervention using motivational interviewing techniques

      • Setting appropriate limits and making treatment recommendations

      • Addressing potential challenges or resistance

      You may either:

      1. Write a detailed script (600-800 words) of the interaction, or

      2. Create a video recording (10-15 minutes) of the simulated encounter.

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 4

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80%.

      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Module 3 is marked complete
    •  
      Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Enhancing Motivation for Change in Substance Use Disorder Treatment URL

      Read Chapter 1 "A New Look at Motivation" from pages 1 to 16, and Chapter 2 "Motivational Counseling and Brief Intervention" from page 17 to page 25. Although not required, you can read the remaining content of chapter 2 from page 26 to page 33. (51 minutes)

      NIH - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - 2019

    • Required Learning Resources
    • resource icon
      Lesson Summary: Module 4: Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disorders File
      Students must
      Mark as done

      The lesson summary includes key information needed to meet the objectives of this module. You are encouraged to review it carefully. At the end of the lesson summary, you'll also find a list of references with clickable links, you can explore them if you'd like to learn more or dive deeper into the topic.

      378.2 KB
    •  
      Supplementary Learning Resources (Not Required)
    • resource icon
      Study Guide: Module 4: Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disorders File

      In this document, we summarized key topics of the module to help you study. Please note that these notes do not cover all of the material in its entirety; you are still encouraged to read and study all of the required learning resources.

      380.6 KB
    • page icon
      Flashcards Module 4: Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disorders Page

      Here are specialized flashcards designed to reinforce and test your knowledge throughout this course.

    • scorm icon
      Microlearning Module 4: Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Use Disor SCORM package

  • Module 5: Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations

    852Competency covered in this module: 
    • Be able to provide general care, monitoring, and follow-up, taking into consideration general health status, common comorbidities, and issues faced by those with substance use disorders.
    • Understand comorbidities associated with alcohol abuse, including HIV, depression, psychosis, and reproduction implications such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
    • Address special reproductive health issues for women using substances or receiving pharmacological treatments for comorbidities.
    • Understand the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles and the general well-being of those with substance use disorders and/or mental health conditions.

    Approximate time required for the readings for this module (at 144 words/minute): 46 hours and 28 minutes.

    • Module 5: Lesson 1: Mental Health Comorbidities

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Distinguish the link between various mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

      • Recognize evidence of SEVERE self-injury such as signs of poisoning or intoxication or signs/symptoms requiring urgent medical treatment such as bleeding from a self-inflicted wound, loss of consciousness, or extreme lethargy.

      • Explain how to maintain regular contact and follow-up with patients as needed.

      • Explain how to identify and manage depression in all who have a tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use disorder.

      • Explain how and when to ask patients for self-harm or suicidal thoughts and how to offer psychosocial support.

      • Discuss how to offer psychosocial support to patients with self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Common Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article (30 minutes)

      National Library of Medicine - 2020

    • url icon
      Co-Occurring Disorders and Health Conditions URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections on: "What are co-occurring disorders or health conditions?", "How many people have both a substance use disorder and another mental disorder?" "Why do substance use problems often occur along with other mental disorders?" "Can a person have more than one substance use disorder?" "Other health conditions often co-occur with substance use disorders" and "Treatment for co-occurring disorders". (24 minutes)

      National Institute on Drug Abuse - 2024

    • url icon
      mhGAP Intervention Guide: For Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders in Non-specialized Health Settings v2.0 URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections on self-harm and suicide (PDF pgs. 139-147). (13 minutes)

      WHO - 2019

    • url icon
      Patient Communication In Substance Abuse Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (10 minutes)

      National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine - 2021

    • url icon
      mhGAP Intervention Guide: For Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders in Non-specialized Health Settings version 2.0 URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the section on depression (PDF pages 27-31). (18 minutes)

      WHO - 2019

    • url icon
      Depression — Understanding, Identifying, and Diagnosing URL
      Students must
      View

      Watch the first three videos, consider the fourth video as complementary. (48 minutes)

      The New England Journal of Medicine - 2024

    • url icon
      How to assess and intervene with patients at risk of suicide URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (60 minutes)

      American Psychological Association - 2022

    • url icon
      Self-harm and suicide in adults URL
      Students must
      View

      Read Section 6 (pgs. 46-50). (14 minutes)

      Royal College of Psychiatrists - 2020

    • url icon
      Suicidal Ideation URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the section on "Treatment / Management". (22 minutes)

      StatPearls Publishing LLC - 2024

    •  
      Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Self-harm: assessment, management and preventing recurrence URL

      Read the entire article.

      NICE Guideline - 2022

    • url icon
      Rapid access to brief psychological treatments for self-harm and suicidal crisis URL

      Read the entire article. (9 minutes)

      British Journal of General Practice - 2020

    • Module 5: Lesson 2: Substance Use and HIV 

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Explain how substance use (including alcohol and tobacco) interacts with HIV.

      • Summarize the relationship between alcohol use and HIV, including the increased risk of HIV infection in those who consume alcohol.

      • Explore the relationship between Substance Use Disorders and HIV infection.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Substance Use Disorders and HIV URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (42 minutes)

      HIVinfo.NIH.gov - 2024

    • url icon
      Tobacco and HIV URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (29 minutes)

      WHO - 2024

    • url icon
      Alcohol and HIV Risk URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (4 minutes)

      HIVinfo.NIH.gov - 2024

    • url icon
      Substance Use Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections: “Background”, “Substance Use Disorders in People with HIV”, and “Alcohol Use Disorder”. (55 minutes)

      National HIV Curriculum - 2025

    • url icon
      Substance Use Disorders and HIV URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (50 minutes)

      NIH - Clinical Info HIV .org - 2024

    • url icon
      Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons With HIV/AIDS URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the table on PDF page 69: Figure 2-6 "Medical Complications of Substance Abuse That May Affect Differential Diagnosis of Injection Drug Users With HIV". (5 minutes)

      Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatment - 2014

    •  
      Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      HIV and Substance Use URL

      Read the entire webpage. (6 minutes)

      HIVinfo.NIH.gov - 2024

    • url icon
      Interactions between HIV treatment and recreational drugs URL

      Read the entire webpage. (9 minutes)

      NAM - 2020

    • url icon
      A client-centered relational framework on barriers to the integration of HIV and substance use services: a systematic review URL

      Read the Abstract, Background, Discussion, and Conclusion of the article. (18 minutes)

      Harm Reduction Journal - 2019

    • url icon
      The prevalence of alcohol use disorders among people living with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review and meta-analysis URL

      Read the Abstract, Background, Discussion, and Conclusion of the article. (11 minutes)

      Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy - 2019

    • url icon
      Key risk factors for substance use among female sex workers in Soweto and Klerksdorp, South Africa: A cross-sectional study URL

      Read the entire article. (37 minutes)

      PLOS One - 2022

    • Module 5: Lesson 3: Substance Use and Pregnancy 

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Describe the links between alcohol and other substance use and reproduction, and be able to discuss pregnancy planning and contraception methods with men and with women of childbearing age.

      • Identify the potential risks of medications and substance use on the fetus or baby when providing care to a pregnant or breastfeeding woman.

      • Explain how babies being breastfed by women on medications are monitored for adverse effects or withdrawal, and undergo comprehensive examinations if required.

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Smoke, alcohol and drug addiction and female fertility URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections "Introduction" and "Conclusions." (10 minutes)

      Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology - 2020

    • url icon
      Why do women consume alcohol during pregnancy or while URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections "Introduction", "Results", and "Discussion". (35 minutes)

      Drug and Alcohol Review by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd - 2022

    • url icon
      Opioid Use Disorder and Pregnancy URL
      Students must
      View

      Interact with the tabs to read the entire web page.  (20 minutes)

      American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - 2024

    • url icon
      Substance Use in Pregnancy URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire document. (1 hour 39 minutes)

      StatPearls Publishing LLC. - 2023

    • url icon
      About Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (26 minutes)

      CDC - 2025

    • url icon
      Safety of psychotropic medications in pregnancy: an umbrella review URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections: "Introduction", "Results", and "Discussion". (60 minutes)

      Springer Nature Limited- 2024

    • url icon
      Perinatal Drug Abuse And Neonatal Drug Withdrawal URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (12 minutes)

      StatPearls Publishing - 2021

    •  
      Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Queensland Clinical Guidelines - Perinatal substance use: neonatal URL

      Read the flowchart on page 3, as well as Section 2 "Initial newborn care," Section 3 "assessment," and Section 4 "Supportive care" on pages 8-15. (23 minutes)

      Queensland Health - 2021

    • Module 5: Lesson 4: Substance Use Follow-Up, Self-Help, Well-Being, and the Community

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Recognize when to refer patients - Assist the patient in acquiring healthy lifestyles, which can improve mental health and help manage substance use disorder triggers such as stress - Perform a general healthy weight assessment (BMI, weight, and height)."

      • Explain how, at follow-ups, to reassess the person’s expectations of treatment, clinical status, understanding of treatment, and adherence to the treatment and correct any misconceptions.

      • Explain how to continually monitor for treatment effects and outcomes, drug interactions with substances (alcohol and illicit drugs), and medicines (both naturopathic and traditional) and adjust accordingly.

      • Explore involvement in self-help and family support groups, where available.

      • Identify and mobilize possible sources of social and community support in the local area, including educational, housing, and vocational supports.

      • Discuss the self-monitoring of symptoms and explain when to seek care immediately.

      • Identify when it is appropriate to involve the carer or family member in the person’s care.

      • Explore strategies that promote autonomy and independent living among individuals with substance use disorders, while minimizing reliance on institutional or long-term residential care.

      • Explore useful self-help and well-being resources for Substance Use Disorder patients.

      • Describe when to assist the patient in acquiring a healthy lifestyle, which can improve mental health and help manage substance use disorder triggers such as stress.

      • Describe how to perform a general healthy weight assessment (BMI, weight, and height).

      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Patient Communication In Substance Use Disorders URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (32 minutes)

      StatPearls Publishing LLC. - 2025

    • url icon
      How to Know When to Refer a Client to Rehab: These Six Telebehavioral Tips Can Help URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (5 minutes)

      The University of Arizona - 2019

    • url icon
      Can addiction be treated successfully? URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (7 minutes)

      National Institutes of Health - 2020

    • url icon
      Treating Addiction URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage.  (3 minutes)

      Camh - 2021

    • url icon
      mhGAP Intervention Guide - Version 2.0 URL
      Students must
      View

      Read No.5 "Follow-up" in the "Essential care and practice" section (PDF pg. 21), as well as Sub 3 "Follow-up" in the Disorders due to substance use" section (PDF pgs. 136-137). (6 minutes)

      WHO- 2019

    • url icon
      Targeting the Barriers in the Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care With Peer Recovery Support URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (43 minutes)

      NCBI - 2021

    • url icon
      Substance use disorder patients’ expectations on transition from treatment to post-discharge period URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections "Introduction," "Findings," and "Discussion." (35 minutes)

      SAGE Publications Ltd - 2020

    • url icon
      Drug Misuse and Addiction URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article  (33 minutes)

      NIDA - 2020

    • url icon
      Alcohol-Medication Interactions: Potentially Dangerous Mixes URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article (58 minutes)

      NIAAA - 2025

    • url icon
      Polydrug use URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (19 minutes)

      Alcohol and Drug Foundation - 2024

    • url icon
      Guidance Part 3: supporting service users to get the most out of opioid substitution treatment (OST) URL
      Students must
      View

      Read Sections 1 "Monitoring, support and review," 2 "What to do when a treatment and recovery care plan is not working?" and 3 "How to respond if OST is not working?". (34 minutes)

      Public Health England - 2021

    • url icon
      Recovery-Oriented Mutual Self-help Groups URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (15 minutes)

      US Department of Veterans Affairs - 2025

    • url icon
      Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Family Therapy URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire chapter: "Chapter 3—Family Counseling Approaches ". (60 minutes)

      SAMHSA - 2020

    • url icon
      The mhGAP community toolkit: field test version URL
      Students must
      View

      Read section 4.2 "Vocational, educational, and housing support" on pgs. 83-84. (4 minutes)

      WHO - 2019

    • url icon
      Integrating Vocational Services Into Substance Use Disorder Treatment URL
      Students must
      View

      Read pages 1 to 7. (19 minutes)

      SAMHSA - 2021

    • url icon
      Signs of Opioid Misuse, Opioid Use Disorder, and Overdose URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (14 minutes)

      CDC - 2022

    • url icon
      Signs of Drug Use & Addiction: How To Tell if Someone Is On Drugs URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (49 minutes)

      AAC - 2024

    • url icon
      Family Therapy for Substance Use Disorders and Addiction Recovery URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage.  (21 minutes)

      AAC - 2025

    • url icon
      Examining Utilization of Family-Based Treatment in Substance Use Treatment Centers URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the selected sections: "Introduction" and "Discussion". (77 minutes)

      Springer Nature Limited - 2024

    • url icon
      Counseling Approaches To Promote Recovery From Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues URL
      Students must
      View

      Read Chapter 4—Counseling Approaches for Sustaining Recovery and Promoting a Healthy Life (153-205). (60 minutes)

      SAMHSA) - 2023

    • url icon
      Structured programs for the self-management of substance addiction consequences in outpatient services: A scoping review URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the following sections: "Introduction", "Results", and "Discussion". (54 minutes)

      Springer Nature Limited - 2023

    • url icon
      The Psychological Toolkit URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sheets under the sections "Lifestyle: Exercise, diet & sleep" and  "Meditation and relaxation." Although not required, you may read the other sheets from this resource. (30 minutes)

      Black Dog Institute - 2025

    • url icon
      The Role of Self-Care in Substance Use Prevention URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire web page (10 minutes)

      Samarpan - 2024

    • url icon
      PRINCIPLES OF HARM REDUCTION URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire guide. (10 minutes)

      Harm Reduction Coalition - 2020

    • url icon
      The Benefits of Physical Exercise on Mental Disorders and Quality of Life in Substance Use Disorders Patients. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the introduction (pgs. 1-3), discussion, and conclusion (pgs. 27-31). (28 minutes)

      International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - 2020

    • url icon
      Exercise and mental health URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (7 minutes)

      State Government of Victoria - 2021

    • url icon
      Diet, Nutrition, and Substance Use Disorder URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (11 minutes)

      Utah State University - 2020

    • url icon
      The Power of Mindfulness and Medication in Addiction Recovery URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (11 minutes)

      Journal of Addictive Behaviours and Therapy - 2024

    • url icon
      Body Mass Index (BMI) URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (8 minutes)

      Cleveland Clinic - 2022

    • url icon
      BMI Calculator URL
      Students must
      View

      Interact with the website and read the complete content. (10 minutes)

      2024 calculator.net - 2024

    •  
      Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People With Co-Occurring Disorders URL

      Read Chapter 3: "Screening and Assessment of Co-Occurring Disorders" (pages 31-68). (132 minutes)

      NIH - SAMHSA- 2020

    • url icon
      Counseling Approaches To Promote Recovery From Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues: Chapter 4—Counseling Approaches for Sustaining Recovery and Promoting a Healthy Life URL

      Read the entire article. (60 minutes)

      NCBI - 2023

    • forum icon
      Module 5: Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations Forum

      SLOs:

      • Distinguish links between mental health conditions and substance use disorders

      • Explain how substance use interacts with HIV

      • Describe reproductive health considerations for substance users

      • Identify strategies for follow-up care and community support

      General Instructions:

      In this activity, you will analyze the complex relationships between substance use disorders and comorbid conditions, with special attention to vulnerable populations.

      Step 1: Select and Reflect

      • Review evidence on the bidirectional relationship between mental health disorders and substance use

      • Study the impact of substance use on HIV transmission, progression, and treatment adherence

      • Examine the effects of substance use during pregnancy and reproductive health implications

      Step 2: Respond

      Develop a comprehensive post (400-600 words) addressing one of the following topics:

      1. Dual Diagnosis: Strategies for managing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in primary care

      2. Substance Use and HIV: Approaches to prevention, screening, and integrated treatment

      3. Substance Use in Pregnancy: Screening, intervention, and harm reduction approaches

      4. Community-Based Recovery Support: Models for long-term management and wellness

      Your post should include:

      • Analysis of evidence-based approaches to your chosen topic

      • Discussion of implementation challenges in primary care settings

      • Consideration of cultural and contextual factors

      • Recommendations for integrated care delivery

      Step 3: Share

      To share your work, click on the "Add a new discussion topic" button under this post and paste your work into the "Message" box. Make sure to reference others' intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B.: references are excluded from word counts).

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 5

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80%.


      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Module 4 is marked complete
    • Required Learning Resources
    • resource icon
      Lesson Summary: Module 5: Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations File
      Students must
      Mark as done

      The lesson summary includes key information needed to meet the objectives of this module. You are encouraged to review it carefully. At the end of the lesson summary, you'll also find a list of references with clickable links, you can explore them if you'd like to learn more or dive deeper into the topic.

      899.3 KB
    •  
      Supplementary Learning Resources (Not Required)
    • resource icon
      Study Guide: Module 5: Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations File

      In this document, we summarized key topics of the module to help you study. Please note that these notes do not cover all of the material in its entirety; you are still encouraged to read and study all of the required learning resources.

      1.0 MB
    • page icon
      Flashcards Module 5: Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations Page

      Here are specialized flashcards designed to reinforce and test your knowledge throughout this course.

    • scorm icon
      Microlearning Module 5: Managing Comorbidities and Special Populations SCORM package

  • Module 6: Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management

    55Competency covered in this module: 
    • Communicate effectively with those to whom you provide care, their family, and caregivers.
    Approximate time required for the readings for this module (at 144 words/minute): 21 hours and 31 minutes.

    • Module 6: Lesson 1: Communication Strategies

      Learning Outcomes:

      Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

      • Demonstrate how to use simple and clear language.

      • Demonstrate how to ask the person for their own understanding of the condition.

      • Explain how to provide information to the person on their health status in terms that they can understand.

      • Recognize that you must be friendly, respectful, and non-judgmental at all times.

      • Recognize that communication is clear, empathic, and sensitive to age, gender, culture, and language differences.

      • Demonstrate how to respond to the disclosure of private and distressing information (e.g., regarding sexual assault or self-harm) with sensitivity.

      • Identify the typical family's reaction to knowledge of substance use issues in a family member.

      • Demonstrate how to gain the consent of the person to keep carers informed about the person’s health status, including issues related to assessment, treatment, follow-up, and any potential side effects.
      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • url icon
      Key Language Principles for Substance Use Disorder URL
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Read the entire article. (16 minutes)

      National Council for Mental Wellbeing - 2021

    • url icon
      Health Literacy for Interprofessional Education (IPE) eToolkit URL
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Read the overview, download and read the factsheet titled "Improving Oral Communication to Promote Health Literacy" and watch the video "Health literacy skit." (12 minutes)

      Pacific University of Oregon - 2017

    • url icon
      Words Matter - Terms to Use and Avoid When Talking About Addiction URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (7 minutes)

      NIH - 2021

    • url icon
      Destigmatizing language in substance use URL
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Read the entire article. (20 minutes)

      VA.gov - 2024

    • url icon
      Questions Asked During A Substance Abuse Assessment URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire post. (7 minutes)

      New Directions Assessments- 2022

    • url icon
      Precision communication: Physicians’ linguistic adaptation to patients’ health literacy URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the introduction (pgs. 1-2) and discussion (pgs. 4-8). (25 minutes)

      Science Advances - 2021

    • url icon
      7 tips for clear patient communication URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (3 minutes)

      Medical Economics Journal- 2021

    • url icon
      Effective Communication in Health and Social Care URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (15 minutes)

      CPD Online College - 2025

    • url icon
      Patient-Centered Communication: Basic Skills URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (25 minutes)

      American association of family physicians - 2017

    • url icon
      Non-judgmental care URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (2 minutes)

      Minnesota Department of Health - 2023

    • url icon
      Cultural Respect URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (11 minutes)

      NIH - 2024

    • url icon
      Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact URL
      Students must
      View

      Watch the video entitled "In Your Words." (7 minutes)

      US Department of Health & Human Services - 2020

    • url icon
      The value of communicating with patients in their first language URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (10 minutes)

      Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research - 2020

    • url icon
      Tips for Improving Communication with Older Patients URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (60 minutes)

      NIH - 2023

    • url icon
      Supporting patients who make disclosures of sexual violence on inpatient wards URL
      Students must
      View

      Read pages 13-22, as well as Appendix 1 on page 26. (25 minutes)

      Royal College of Nursing - 2020

    • url icon
      Self-Harm Disclosures URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (5 minutes)

      Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership - 2020

    • url icon
      Disclosures for the protection of patients and others URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage. (13 minutes)

      General Medical Council - 2017

    • url icon
      Patient Confidentiality URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections: "Introduction" and "Clinical Significance". (37 minutes)

      StatPearls Publishing LLC - 2023

    • url icon
      Family Addiction: How Does Addiction Affect Families? URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire article. (50 minutes)

      AAC - 2025

    • url icon
      When a parent drinks too much alcohol... What kids want to know URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire resource, which covers how to talk to children of adults who drink too much. The way the questions are answered can be applied to other types of substance use as well (besides alcohol), providing that the relevant information for the substance is given instead.

       (15 minutes)

      camh- 2022

    • url icon
      Substance misuse: through the lens of the family URL
      Students must
      View

      Read from "A Family Perspective" up to the end of the article. (15 minutes)

      Adfam - 2021

    • url icon
      An unknown invisible intrusion. Impact of an adult family member’s problematic substance use on family life: a meta-ethnography URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the introduction (pages 1-2), results (pages 7-10), and conclusion (pages 11-12). (22 minutes)

      Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy - 2020

    • url icon
      Using and disclosing patient information for direct care URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the entire webpage, paying special attention to the section "Sharing information with those close to the patient." (12 minutes)

      General Medical Council - 2018

    • url icon
      Patient Rights and Ethics URL
      Students must
      View

      Read the sections on: "Respect for Patient Autonomy", "Informed Consent Prior to Treatment", and "Health Information Privacy and Control". (32 minutes)

      StatPearls Publishing LLC. - 2024

    •  
      Recommended Additional Readings
    • url icon
      Visual Communication Resources URL

      Read the entire webpage. (3 minutes)

      CDC - 2024

    • forum icon
      Module 6: Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management Forum

      SLOs:

      • Demonstrate use of clear, empathic, and culturally sensitive communication

      • Explain how to provide information in understandable terms

      • Recognize techniques for responding to sensitive disclosures

      • Identify strategies for communicating with families about substance use issues

      General Instructions:

      In this peer activity, you will develop and practice advanced communication skills for substance use disorder management in primary care.

      Step 1: Preparation

      • Review principles of patient-centered communication in substance use disorder treatment

      • Study cultural considerations in substance use disorder communication

      • Examine strategies for communicating with families and caregivers

      • Explore methods for explaining complex medical information in accessible language

      Step 2: Create and Submit

      Develop a communication toolkit (600-800 words) that includes:

      • Scripts for initiating conversations about substance use with patients

      • Strategies for responding to defensive reactions or denial

      • Approaches for discussing substance use with family members

      • Techniques for explaining treatment options in clear, non-stigmatizing language

      • Cultural adaptations for diverse patient populations.

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 6

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80%.


      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Module 5 is marked complete
    •  
      Supplementary Learning Resources (Not Required)
    • resource icon
      Lesson Summary: Module 6: Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management File

      The lesson summary includes key information needed to meet the objectives of this module. You are encouraged to review it carefully. At the end of the lesson summary, you'll also find a list of references with clickable links, you can explore them if you'd like to learn more or dive deeper into the topic.

      315.1 KB · Uploaded 11/13/25, 18:41
    • resource icon
      Study Guide: Module 6: Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management File

      In this document, we summarized key topics of the module to help you study. Please note that these notes do not cover all of the material in its entirety; you are still encouraged to read and study all of the required learning resources.

      425.7 KB
    • page icon
      Flashcards Module 6: Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management Page

      Here are specialized flashcards designed to reinforce and test your knowledge throughout this course.

    • scorm icon
      Microlearning Module 6: Effective Communication in Substance Use Disorder Management SCORM package

  • Final Exam

    To take the final exam, you must complete all quizzes and complete all the required activities. The final exam consists of 20 questions, and you will have 20 minutes to complete it. When the time is over, you will have two minutes to submit your attempt before it expires, and your progress is discarded. You will not be able to answer additional questions in the grace period.

    To access the exam, click on the name of the exam provided below. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to respond to the questions.

  • Course and Self Evaluation & Certificate

    In this section, you can provide feedback about this course to help us make NextGenU.org better. Once evaluations are completed, you will be able to download your certificate of completion.

    • questionnaire icon
      Course Evaluation Questionnaire
      Please help us make NextGenU.org courses even better by submitting this evaluation. Your evaluation is confidential and used only for improving our trainings.
      Not available unless: The activity Final Exam is marked complete
    • questionnaire icon
      Self Evaluation Questionnaire
      Please take the time to reflect on how you would evaluate yourself as a learner.
      Not available unless: The activity Final Exam is marked complete