Course Description

In this course you will learn the role that Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) plays in the treatment of Opioid Use Disorders and understanding MAT as a part of comprehensive medication-assisted recovery.

The course will include a fundamental understanding of MAT, the types of medication used in treatment, controversy regarding MAT, the myths associated with its use, and how MAT is a critical tool in effective evidence-based treatment of addiction.

Participants will gain understanding of how MAT fits into the overall treatment continuum for persons with Opioid Use Disorder, identify three medications that are proven to be effective in treatment, learn the basic characteristics of the medication, identify which patients may be best suited for each medication, and identify other psychotherapies and activities that enhance a comprehensive addiction treatment program.

This course is for individuals, family members, and stakeholders including students, health care professionals, those in criminal justice fields, mental health professionals, and others in the general public and helping professions.

Course Author

Dean Babcock MSW, LCSW, LCAC received his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Affairs and Master of Social Work degree from Indiana University. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor and has spent his professional career working in health care and mental health care systems in the Indianapolis area.

In 2018 he retired from his role as Associate Vice President at Eskenazi Health, Midtown Community Mental Health Center where he directed both administrative and clinical operations of a comprehensive system of care for persons having mental illness and addictive disorders. His clinical specialty is in the field of addiction treatment, program development, clinical consultation, and driving evidence-based practice implementation in large medical systems.

In addition to his leadership role at Eskenazi, he served as the Site Principal Investigator in the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. This collaborative national project develops innovative clinical intervention research to expand the field of addiction treatment.

Dean is a published author on numerous research publications and gives lectures and trainings both locally and nationally related to evidence-based practices in addiction treatment.

He has served on a wide variety of local and national committees, projects and boards, and enjoys helping the public understand the nature of addiction and its treatment. He is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for the work he has done in helping the community in which he lives.

Course Reviewer

Subject matter expert, R. Andrew Chambers, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry, as well as director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program and director of the Lab for Translational Neuroscience of Dual Diagnosis & Development at Indiana University Health.

What You Will Learn

  • Describe: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and the role MAT plays in treatment of Opioid Use Disorders (OUD)/Opioid Addiction. the three most common MAT medications: methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.

  • Explain: Why MAT is critical in the fight against OUDs and why it is a model of chronic care management. How each medication works in the brain.

  • Discuss and Dispel: Myths and controversy associated with MAT.

  • Identify: Characteristics of each medication. The type of client each medication may be best for. Other clinical activities to use in conjunction with these medications. Three medications used in MAT.

  • Recognize: How MAT fits into larger continuum of professional treatment using the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) principles of effective treatment. Basic laws and regulations surrounding the use of MAT.

Accredited Continuing Education

As an approved Law Enforcement Training Board training provider (#47-1333720), Overdose Lifeline online training courses meet annual in-service training requirements for Indiana Law Enforcement officers and support personnel, specifically for Mental Illness, Addiction & Disabilities IC 5-2-1-9(g).

For first responders in other states, before beginning any of the Overdose Lifeline online courses we recommend that you verify that the course is of suitable subject matter and content for annual in-service training with your Department’s Certified Instructor. 

CE Credit Course Requirements

  • 100% course completion

  • 80% (minimum) passing grade on the final exam

  • Complete the course ending survey

How to Receive CE Credit(s)

During course registration you will be prompted to select your CE Credit area. You should select "First Responder".

Upon successful completion of the course you will be issued a certificate which includes the information required to submit to Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. The specific information required includes:

Overdose Lifeline’s Provider Number: #47-1333720. 

Continuing Education / Training Hours: 3.0

Course Number: FR-MAT30

Please follow the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board procedure below to ensure your training is properly reported, 

  1. Register for the classes at the provider’s website.
  2. Complete the class and all the requirements with a passing score.
  3. Print the certificate of completion or other documentation that indicates your successful completion of the class.
  4. Report the training by submitting a copy of the certificate and provide the LETB Certified Training Provider number to your department Training Coordinator.
  5. The Training Coordinator will report the training through Acadis as part of your annual in-service training using the LETB Certified Training Provider number for the organization that presented the online training. 

(IT IS THE DEPARTMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT THE TRAINING, NOT THE PROVIDER)

For first responders in other states, before beginning any of the Overdose Lifeline online courses we recommend that you verify that the course is of suitable subject matter and content for annual in-service training with your Department’s Certified Instructor. 

If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact training@overdoselifeline.org.

Additional Course Notes

  • There are no prerequisites for this course. We recommend you consider “The Brian and the Disease of Addiction — 2.0 CE Credits" online course ($30.00). This provides a foundational understanding of the disease of addiction by looking at how the brain is affected from substances such as drugs and alcohol and how the disease of addiction develops.

  • This course provides 3.0 CE Credits - delivered upon 100% course completion, achievement of 80% (minimum) passing grade on the final exam, and completing the course ending survey.

  • The course may be accessed from a computer, tablet or mobile device. Internet access is required as are speakers for audio.

    The following web browsers are supported: Desktop - Firefox, Safari, Chrome, and Edge. Note the course platform does not support Internet Explorer. Mobile - iOS Safari: 11 and up, Chrome, Samsung Internet.

  • The course will remain available in your account for six months - allowing you to complete the course at your own pace and return to the course later for review of key concepts.

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