Event Date
Stigma related to addiction is prevalent within a healthcare setting. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2014) noted that stigma and the perception of stigma is a significant reason that individuals do not seek behavioral health care services. A recent study in the Harm Reduction Journal cited that over 75% of participants reported at least one instance of stigma related to health care system engagement and that 60% anticipate experiencing stigma in their health care setting.1 While medical science has demonstrated that substance use disorders are indeed a disease, people with substance use disorders are most often blamed for their condition. Many people do not disclose their use of drugs and alcohol due to the stigma surrounding it, therefore influencing both physical health and behavioral health treatment and treatment outcomes. In this office hours presentation, we will present the different types of stigmas and discuss strategies to reduce stigma to improve substance use disorder treatment outcomes.
Presenter: R. Lyle Cooper, Ph.D., LCSW
R. Lyle Cooper, Ph.D., LCSW, is an Assistant Professor at Meharry Medical College, Department of Family and Community Medicine in Nashville, TN. Meharry is one of the nation’s oldest and largest historically black academic health science centers. He has presented on increasing engagement and reducing disparities for MAT for a variety of HRSA grantees. Dr. Cooper has spent his entire career working with patients challenged by substance use disorder (SUD), starting as an outreach worker identifying drug users that were at risk for HIV and linking them to treatment and prevention services. He has managed several SUD treatment and harm reduction programs, including integrated substance abuse and HIV treatment facilities and syringe service programs. As a researcher and educator, he is focused on developing substance use interventions that can be delivered through integrated primary care settings. His Ph.D. in Social Work is from the University of Louisville.
Earn 1.0 continuing education credit for attending this session.