Blog
ASAM Joins NIDAMED Coalition of Healthcare Organizations
ASAM announces its participation in the newly formed NIDAMED Coalition of Healthcare Organizations which together with National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) will work to help increase clinician education on how best to address and prevent adolescent substance use (SU).
A staggering 1.2 million youths aged 12 to 17 are not receiving necessary treatment for substance use disorders. To address this, the NIDAMED Coalition of Healthcare Organizations and NIDA will work together to develop a continuing medical education / continuing education (CME/CE) program that will prepare clinicians to address substance use with their adolescent patients and their parents.
The Coalition is comprised of experts in addiction research and clinical practice and six medical professional organizations, including:
- California Academy of Family Physicians
- American Society of Addiction Medicine
- American Osteopathic Association
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Academy of Physician Assistants
"This collaboration draws upon the knowledge of leading medical organizations, whose members are in the field every day working with young people,” said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. “Together we will bring the best science to clinical practice – helping clinicians use evidence-based tools with their adolescent patients to help prevent drug use and its related health consequences."
"Because of the particular vulnerabilities of youth, we need to support and train adolescent and young adult health providers with developmentally informed approaches to substance use problems, including screening, assessment, treatment and engagement of youth and their families” says Marc Fishman, MD, ASAM’s Clinical Expert.
The Coalition is committed to working with NIDA in creating a program that is useful, usable, and promotes practice change. The CME/CE program will be launched in early 2016.
