ASAM Clinical Practice Guidelines Management of Stimulant Use Disorder

Course overview

Course Description: This course provides a comprehensive examination of the ASAM/AAAP Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder (StUD). Clinicians will explore the epidemiology and health consequences of stimulant use disorder including rising overdose death rates associated with cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, and prescription stimulants alongside the urgent public health crisis that these trends represent. The course covers evidence-based clinical assessment approaches, from initial triage to comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluation, baseline laboratory testing, and identification of co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Behavioral treatment interventions, including contingency management, community reinforcement approach, cognitive behavioral therapy, the Matrix Model, and technology-based modalities, are examined in depth. Pharmacotherapy options for both cocaine use disorder and amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder are reviewed, including off-label prescribing considerations. The recognition and clinical management of stimulant intoxication, withdrawal, and acute medical complications are addressed, along with population-specific considerations for adolescents, pregnant patients, and individuals with co-occurring disorders. Secondary and tertiary prevention strategies including screening, harm reduction, overdose prevention, safer sexual practices, and referral to treatment are also covered. This course on the management of stimulant use disorder is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. This course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop or increase their knowledge of evidence-based assessment and treatment of stimulant use disorder. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical continuing education courses for license renewal. Authors: DiDona Learning Objectives: This course will provide a professional with detailed information about the ASAM/AAAP clinical practice guidelines for the management of stimulant use disorder. Specifically, the practitioner will: 1. Identify the diagnostic criteria, epidemiological trends, and clinical significance of stimulant use disorder (StUD), including the health consequences of cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, and prescription stimulant misuse. 2. Describe the components of an initial and comprehensive clinical assessment for StUD, including biopsychosocial evaluation, baseline laboratory testing, and identification of co-occurring psychiatric conditions. 3. Explain the evidence base and clinical application of behavioral treatments for StUD, including contingency management, community reinforcement approach, cognitive behavioral therapy, the Matrix Model, and technology-based interventions. 4. Apply ASAM/AAAP pharmacotherapy recommendations for StUD, including off-label use of non-psychostimulant and psychostimulant medications for cocaine use disorder and amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder. 5. Distinguish the clinical presentation, assessment, and management of stimulant intoxication and withdrawal, including recognition and treatment of hyperadrenergic states, psychiatric symptoms, and acute medical complications. 6. Articulate population-specific considerations in the treatment of StUD, including recommendations for adolescents and young adults, pregnant and postpartum patients, and individuals with co-occurring disorders including ADHD. 7. Apply secondary and tertiary prevention strategies for risky stimulant use, including screening, brief intervention, harm reduction education, overdose prevention, safer sexual practices, and referral to treatment. Citation: American Society of Addiction Medicine & American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. (2024). The ASAM/AAAP clinical practice guideline on the management of stimulant use disorder. American Society of Addict