CARE (Course on Addiction and Recovery Education)

Aquifer Addiction

CARE is distributed by Aquifer on behalf of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation (HBFF) and the WISE program at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and hosted on the WISE learning platform.

The 12 modules in the Course on Addiction and Recovery Education (CARE) concentrate on critical addiction and substance use topics that medical students and healthcare professionals need to be able to address. Modules consist of patient cases and videos.

Overview

Used in medical schools, nurse practitioner and PA learning programs nationwide, the CARE online curriculum prepares future clinicials to identify, intervene, and address substance use disorders. The lack of formal education surrounding substance use disorders and addiction has left many practicing physicians and healthcare professionals inadequately prepared to assess, intervene, manage, and treat patients.

  • Twelve modules incorporate case studies, which provide an interactive platform for clinical consideration, and videos featuring today’s leading experts in addiction covering key topics
  • Created for educators, by educators, in conjunction with the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the Treatment Research Institute
  • Proven pedagogy that standardizes experiences—overcoming geography, seasonality, and accessibility
  • Self-assessment questions at the end of the course emphasize key content and enable students to test their knowledge and skills
  • A wealth of source material, tools, and full references in each case

A first-of-its-kind online course for medical, PA and NP/DNP students, CARE draws from leading experts and emerging science, covering topics such as integrated treatment for addiction and mental health issues and multicultural sensitivity. This course provides expert training and content that builds the skills needed to provide quality care to these patients. The modules combine virtual patient cases and video presentations with self-assessment questions.

Students utilize CARE’s interactive platform to review patient profiles covering topics such as pregnancy and alcohol abuse, cannabis use in adolescents, pain management and liability for addiction, alcohol withdrawal, and more. Through our additional video content, which is incorporated into the modules, leading addiction scientists and clinicians present the latest information and best practices on 14 topics, including neurobiology of addiction, evidence-based behavioral therapies, medication in the treatment of addiction, and genetics in alcohol and substance abuse disorders.

These cases and videos are designed to be used as stand-alone segments, or in conjunction with current health profession curriculua.

1: 34-year-old woman – Pregnancy and substance use

2: 16-year-old male – Adolescent and substance use

3: 38-year-old man – Pain management

4: 56-year-old man alcohol use – Withdrawal and brief motivational intervention

5: 34-year-old man – Stimulant use disorder and the genetics of substance use disorders

6: 39-year-old woman – Heroin use and the neurobiology of addiction

7: Neurobiology of addiction

8: Overview of treatment for substance use disorders

9: Evidence-based behavioral therapies for substance use disorders

10: The epidemiology of addiction and psychiatric comorbidity

11: Conceptual approaches to treating substance use in the United States

12: Substance use professionals and medications for the treatment of addiction

Inside the Course

Testimonials

“No matter what specialty medical students choose, they will take care of patients with substance use disorders. These cases encourage them to start thinking about the impact of substance use on health.”

Sharon Levy, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

“The modules are just right. Medical students will be challenged to think about the intersection between substance use and health problems. The physicians in the cases demonstrate how to talk to patients about their substance use in collaborative, non-threatening ways.”

Mark P. Schwartz MD, FAAFP, FASAM, Medical Director, Princeton House Behavioral Health

Aquifer Medical Home

Aquifer Medical Home
In collaboration with:

Aquifer Medical Home teaches complex topics that are critical to the effective delivery of care within the medical home model.

Overview

The American Academy of Pediatrics defines medical home as “primary care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective.” Aquifer Medical Home encompasses in-depth teaching on interpersonal skills and communication, systems-based practice, professionalism, and the management of chronic illness.

  • Created for educators, by educators, to encompass the nationally accepted medical home curricula
  • Available free through June 30, 2023
  • In-depth focus on interpersonal skills, communication, systems-based practice, professionalism, and the management of chronic illness
  • A combination of cases, readings, and tools help students become familiar with these key concepts and translate their acquired skills to clinical practice
  • Proven pedagogy that standardizes experiences—overcoming geography, seasonality, and accessibility
  • Evidence-based, peer-reviewed, and continuously updated content
  • A wealth of source material, embedded assessment questions, and full references in each case
  • Delivered via the Aqueduct teaching and learning platform, which includes user management tools, easy reporting on student progress and course usage, plus tools for creating custom courses to match a specific curriculum

The cases in the Medical Home course provide opportunities for students to focus on issues of interpersonal skills, communication, systems-based practice, and professionalism in the context of providing care for children with complex medical problems. Students will learn how to apply the information to patient and family interactions, and to practice using the tools when caring for a patient.

While Aquifer Medical Home is designed to be effective for independent study, students may benefit from a combination of approaches to instruction. Educators are linking the course to other learning opportunities within the clinical curriculum, such as using cases as a common clinical encounter for discussion or creating assignments around the Questions for Further Reflection at the end of each case. While the cases focus on pediatric examples, the learning is extensible to other patient populations.

Medical Home 01: 16-year-old-female with status asthmaticus

Medical Home 02: 11-year-old-female with meningomyelocele

Medical Home 03: 2-year-old male with language delay

Medical Home 04: Newborn male with multiple congenital anomalies

Medical Home Lead


At the center of the medical home is the family-centered partnership between the provider, the patient, and the patient’s family or primary caregivers. Achieving this partnership requires thinking beyond the patient’s medical problems.