Build your expertise and make a lasting impact.

Overdose Lifeline’s Advanced Certificate Program combines eight nationally accredited continuing education courses with a guided practicum experience to provide a comprehensive understanding of substance use disorder (SUD), opioid use disorder (OUD), overdose prevention, treatment and MAT/MOUD, recovery, trauma, stigma, and harm reduction.

Designed for clinicians and professionals across healthcare, behavioral health, public health, law enforcement, education, and community services, the program helps participants build knowledge, confidence, and practical skills they can apply in their work with individuals and families affected by SUD.

Participants earn 20 continuing education credits and an Advanced Certificate in Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Education.

Relevant

Nationally accredited continuing education courses (ACCME, ANCC, ACPE, AMA PRA Category 1™) provide insight to respond with confidence and practical tools to apply immediately to reduce stigma and improve outcomes.

Science-based

Our courses are science-based and research-informed, grounded in peer-reviewed neuroscience, addiction-medicine frameworks, and nationally recognized clinical standards.

Meaningful

Equips professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to improve prevention, treatment, and recovery outcomes for individuals, families, and communities impacted by substance use disorder.

What Makes This Certificate Different?

The Advanced Certificate Program combines education, reflection, and application to help participants move beyond knowledge acquisition and strengthen their ability to support individuals affected by substance use disorder.

Through eight interconnected courses, guided reflection exercises, and a practicum assignment, participants explore how substance use disorder affects individuals, families, and communities while developing practical strategies they can apply in professional settings.

The result is more than a certificate, participants gain

  • Broader understanding of substance use disorder and opioid use disorder
  • Increased confidence in their interactions with individuals affected by the disease
  • Deeper appreciation for the challenges and opportunities associated with prevention, treatment, and recovery

Certificate Program Learning Outcomes

In addition to the learning objectives associated with each individual course, participants who complete the Advanced Certificate Program will be able to:

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of substance use disorder as a chronic, treatable disease.
  • Recognize risk factors, warning signs, and opportunities for earlier intervention and support.
  • Apply evidence-based concepts related to prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.
  • Engage individuals and families affected by SUD with greater confidence, empathy, and reduced stigma.
  • Strengthen communication strategies that support trust, engagement, and positive outcomes.
  • Identify barriers that may prevent individuals from accessing treatment, recovery, and support services.
  • Better support individuals across the continuum of care, from prevention and early intervention through treatment and recovery.
  • Strengthen critical thinking and self-reflection related to substance use, behavior change, and recovery.
  • Serve as informed advocates for evidence-based approaches to addressing substance use disorder.

Advanced Certificate Program

8-Course Learning Track, Reflection, and Practicum Assignment

CE/CMEs DEA MATE Act Compliant
The Brian and the Disease of Addiction
Removing the Shame and Stigma of Substance Use Disorder
Exploring the Role of ACEs and Trauma in Substance Use Disorder
Guide to Harm Reduction
Guide to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD)
The Opioid Public Health Crisis
Layperson Naloxone Administration
Practicum Assignment

Includes a 5-Question Reflection Exercise and Assignment. Assignment Option 1 - Written Essay. Assignment Option 2 - Two-week Abstinence Experience.

CE/CMEs

The Brian and the Disease of Addiction

Removing the Shame and Stigma of Substance Use Disorder

Exploring the Role of ACEs and Trauma in Substance Use Disorder

Guide to Harm Reduction

Guide to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD)

The Opioid Public Health Crisis

Layperson Naloxone Administration

Practicum Assignment

Includes a 5-Question Reflection Exercise and Assignment. Assignment Option 1 - Written Essay. Assignment Option 2 - Two-week Abstinence Experience.

DEA MATE Act Compliant

The Brian and the Disease of Addiction

Removing the Shame and Stigma of Substance Use Disorder

Exploring the Role of ACEs and Trauma in Substance Use Disorder

Guide to Harm Reduction

Guide to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD)

The Opioid Public Health Crisis

Layperson Naloxone Administration

Practicum Assignment

Includes a 5-Question Reflection Exercise and Assignment. Assignment Option 1 - Written Essay. Assignment Option 2 - Two-week Abstinence Experience.

The Practicum Experience

Guided Reflection Exercise

The practicum begins with a guided reflection exercise that encourages participants to consider what they learned throughout the eight-course program and how those insights can be applied in their professional practice and everyday interactions.

  • What have you learned? What do you know now that you didn’t know prior to the online coursework?
  • How have you changed?
  • What do you think anyone in your profession should understand? Why is this important?
  • What key issues have you identified that are barriers to recovery?
  • Where do you see opportunity to apply what you have learned? What actions do you plan to take to make this learning concrete?
Research & Application Project

This option finds participants selecting a substance use disorder-related research study or published article for further exploration. They summarize key findings, identify questions raised by the material, and seek evidence-based answers to deepen their understanding of the topic.

This pathway encourages:

  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Research literacy
  • Evidence-informed decision making
  • Exploration of emerging topics in prevention, treatment, and recovery
Behavior Change & Reflection Experience

This option finds participants selecting a personal behavior or habit to abstain from for two weeks, such as caffeine, soda, social media, or another personally relevant activity. Through journaling and reflection, participants examine motivation, habits, triggers, and challenges associated with behavior change.

This pathway encourages:

  • Self-reflection and personal insight
  • Greater understanding of behavior change processes
  • Increased empathy for individuals navigating recovery
  • Deeper connection between course concepts and lived experience

What people are saying

Prior to taking the courses, I was not aware of the physiologic changes in the brain leading to addiction. I had no idea that using substances during the teenage yielded a higher chance of developing a substance use disorder. Additionally, the fact that the brain is basically rewired to place drugs at the top of the survival hierarchy within the brain.

20-Credit Certificate Student - Pharmacist

Learning about the cycle of addiction and stages was eye opening. With an understanding that setbacks are an expected part of the process toward recovery, therefore working with the client on their recovery plan is as important as the treatment plan.

20-Credit Certificate Student - Clinician

In the past when I thought about stigma and addiction, I typically thought about how another person (family member, neighbor) stigmatize someone with this disease. I now have a better understanding of how stigma from other areas of one's life (medical communities, law enforcement, etc.) affects someone with this disease and creates a barrier for recovery.

Social Worker

This was a very eye opening course as to how childhood trauma not only affects our behavior but our health outcomes and chronic conditions directly. This is a true public health threat that needs to be addressed with education and concern placed on early intervention.

Pharmacist

The courses and exercise emphasized the issues that can complicate recovery beyond physical and mental cravings. Recovery impacts the whole person as well as those around them. Rather than focusing on how to decrease physical cravings only, I have learned that I should also be working with patients to identify stressors, situational concerns, and positive reinforcement of positive behaviors.

20-Credit Certificate Student - Nurse

The program helped me understand the importance of harm reduction in the recovery process and the value of a ‘meet them where they are’ approach. Before taking these courses and completing this project, I believed that going cold turkey was the only path to recovery. Now I realize that recovery exists on a continuum—and that a setback, or the fact that someone hasn’t fully stopped using, doesn’t mean they’re not making meaningful progress on their journey.

Health and Human Services Professional

One of the hardest lessons I’ve taken from this training is learning to retrain my mind—to move beyond a lifetime of experiences and judgments about patients with substance use disorders. I’ve come to understand that what once appeared as manipulation or weakness is, in fact, the manifestation of a treatable medical condition. With the right medication, guidance, and support, people can build productive lives free from addiction—and, hopefully, avoid the unnecessary deaths that too often result.

20-Credit Certificate Student - Nurse

Choose your Advanced Certificate Program

Frequently Asked Questions

The Overdose Lifeline advanced certificate program is intended for those pursuing professional development and continuing education.


Completion illustrates that you have knowledge in a specific area (in this case Substance Use Disorders). The courses are focused on skills building / knowledge enhancement and may also satisfy licensure continuing education requirements (e.g. CE credits for nurses, pharmacist, etc.) and for opioid prescribers DEA Mate Act training requirements.

The certificate program includes a practicum exercise and assignment and eight (8) online courses delivering 20 credits.

The submission of the practicum exercise and assignment completes the certificate track.

What ODL provides is different from a professional certification which confirms that an individual has met specific standards and competencies in a profession or role. 


A professional certification may lead to credentials (letters after your name) Example: becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS).


There is typically a financial difference as well.  Professional development and continuing education are based on $15 per credit hour model with Certifications often involving exam preparation fees and certification exam fees.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ (ACCME) is accepted for many clinical continuing education requirements and many societies and credentialing bodies accept the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ as an equivalent as long as the topic is relevant to the applicant’s field or discipline.

The practicum for the 20-credit Advanced Certificate Program includes the completion of a: 

  • 5-question Reflection Exercise
  • Brief Assignment

Download Overview: Practicum-Assignment-Overview.pdf

To earn your CE credits and receive your certificate for each of the 8 courses:

  • 100% course completion
  • 80% minimum passing grade on the final course exam
  • Course ending feedback survey completion

To receive your certificate for the Advanced Certificate Program:

  • Completion of the 8 courses
  • Practicum submission and approval.

Yes, group or enterprise pricing is available as is progress reporting.

Learn more about Group Pricing

Yes, the ODL courses are fully responsive site designed for learning on any device, including mobile, tablet, desktop and laptop.

The ODL courses 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.


While this will vary per individual, you can approximate 20 hours to complete the 8 courses and the practicum approximately 3-4 hours*.

The courses and practicum will remain available in your account for 6-months --allowing you to resume and complete the courses and practicum at your own pace and schedule within the 6-month time period.

*The two practicum assigment options each require approximately 3-4 hours of written work. The Abstinance project option would entail 3-4 hours of written work over a 2-week period.

Download the Practicum Overview: Practicum-Assignment-Overview.pdf

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