General Information
MAT/X-Waiver Training
In the fight against opioid addiction, the Special Treatment and Research (STAR) Program at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is committed to getting as many medical doctors (MD/DO), physician assistants (PA), and advanced practice registered nurses (NP/CNS/CNM/CRNA) trained and certified in Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). Here you will find information, resources and media regarding the X-waiver Training Program at SUNY Downstate, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The purpose of the X-waiver Training Program is to expand and enhance access to MAT services for persons with an opioid use disorder (OUD) seeking or receiving MAT through ensuring the education and training of students in the medical, physician assistant and nurse practitioner fields. The program integrates X-waiver training into the curricula of SUNY Downstate medical students within the College of Medicine, NP students within the College of Nursing, and PA students in the PA Program within the College of Health Professions.
Program goals include:
-
Developing and implementing the X-waiver training curricula into the standard curricula of the three health professional student groups;
-
Providing training to SUNY Downstate faculty on X-waiver training to build internal leadership capacity and ensure project sustainability; and
-
Providing the 3 trainee groups with X-waiver training, inclusive of didactic and experiential training modalities.
-
Visit our contact page, and email or call us if you have any questions regarding any of the material, or if you are interested in becoming X-waiver certified or a X-waiver certified trainer.
MAT/X-Waiver Training Testimonial with Wajiha Kazmi
Cultivating the Next Generation of Providers Trained in MAT
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the use of FDA-approved medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a "whole-patient" approach to the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). In the US, buprenorphine products (namely buprenorphine/naloxone combination) and methadone are the primary forms of MAT that are authorized for addressing opioid use disorders (OUD). As effective as treatments for other chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and hypertension, substance use treatments that include medication give well-trained providers new tools to fight addiction by expanding the range of treatment options for patients with opioid addiction. For patients, these medications help reduce drug use, avoid relapse, achieve and maintain control over behaviors that can lead to relapse, and maintain adherence to other treatment components that lead to sustained recovery (e.g., counseling, lifestyle changes).
Latest News
The Opioid Crisis—Not Just Opioids Anymore
Image: Johns Hopkins Medicine
What is MAT?