“Counter Conditioning Therapies for Substance Use Disorders, Targeting Cued cravings” presented by Dr. Ercik M. Davis.

Erick M.  Davis, M.D.,  M.P.H.,  M.B.A Medical Director at Schick Shadel Hospital, Seattle Washington

Twenty  years as a senior executive and consultant for health care financing and delivery organizations with successes in financial and medical cost turnaround, new product development, operations management and support, network expansion/contracting and maintenance, clinical and service quality improvement including performance measurement specifications development and implementation, problem analysis and solving, organizational redesign for efficiency and quality, and long term, complex project management

Two years combined as a Fulbright Professional Awardee and international consultant for the USAID, USIA and DEA focusing on large pubic preventive health initiatives

Thirteen years as a sub-specialty addiction medicine clinician  full-time  in inpatient and outpatient settings, combining hospital Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer responsibilities with unique clinical product and business program development and execution.  Total of 34 years clinical practice including evaluation, diagnosis and/or treatment of persons with SUDs and/or psychiatric conditions

Learning Objectives

1. The attendee will learn the indications and contraindications for use of counterconditioning therapies, including chemical (emetic), faradic current and covert sensitization (hypnotic and narcotherapeutic), as a component of a multimodal abstinence-based treatment program.
2. The attendee will have an accurate overview of an underutilized clinical treatment  that can dramatically contribute to abstinence through freedom from cravings permitting comfortable early recovery
3. The attendee will learn specific therapeutic principles and conduct of counterconditioning therapies, as well as counterarguments to their use.

Description
Counterconditioning (aversion) treatment has been used as a component of multi-modal treatment programs for over 75 years. Targeting cravings for a substance, Counter-Conditioning therapy enhances a patient’s ability to move through a substance cue stimulus situation comfortably applying cognitive-behavioral and other coping techniques obviating relapse.

Needs Assessment
Addressing the growing number of substance use disorder patients – including alcohol, opiate/ opioid, amphetamine(s), cocaine and cannabis, including never before treated and multiple relapsing persons, demands all proven efficacious treatment options beyond traditional therapies for substance use disorders be considered as a component of a multimodal effective treatment program.  As stated in the title, counterconditioning therapy is a highly efficacious, yet underutilized treatment option. For example, in a University of Washington study (published in 2017), 69 percent of participating patients – treated with counterconditioning – were abstinent of their primary substance use disorder after one year. This presentation offers substance used disorders treatment professionals the opportunity to learn more about this highly effective therapy that is often misunderstood or ignored. 

Additional Information

For reference, a study about this treatment modality was published in the fall of 2017 – link below. The Neurobiological Mechanism of Chemical Aversion (Emetic) Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder: An fMRI Study https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00182/full?utm_source=F-NTF&utm_medium=EMLX&utm_campaign=PRD_FEOPS_20170000_ARTICLE