Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Substance Use Disorders by the VA DoD

Course overview

This updated Clinical Practice Guideline includes objective, evidence-based information on the management of substance use disorders. Developed by a panel of multidisciplinary experts, it provides a clear explanation of the relationships between various care options and health outcomes while rating both the quality of evidence and the strength of the recommendations. A fundamental goal of this Clinical Practice Guideline is to promote early engagement and retention of patients with substance use conditions who can benefit from addiction-focused treatment. Patient-centered care is emphasized. This course is based upon material published by the Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Department of Defense and is available as an open access article. This course on substance use disorders is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their understanding of substance use and abuse. The course material includes a review of treatment protocols. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical continuing education courses for license renewal.