Prescribers: Advanced Curriculum on Alcohol Use Disorder and Medications for Alcohol Use Disorders
Created by: American Society of Addiction Medicine
June 2026
Overview
Designed for prescribers (MDs, DOs, APRNs, and PAs) who already have foundational knowledge and experience in treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and/or prescribing medications for AUD (MAUD), this 8-hour and 15-minute curriculum offers advanced education to help prescribers manage complex cases, co-occurring conditions, and other common challenges of treating AUD. This curriculum features multiple learning formats, including enduring trainings, interactive online modules, mini videos (<10 mins), and downloadable digital resources.
The target audience for this advanced level activity includes clinical healthcare professionals who prescribe medications in outpatient or inpatient settings.
This activity addresses the following ACGME Competencies: Patient Care and Procedural Skills; Medical Knowledge; Interpersonal and Communication Skills; and Systems-Based Practice
Learning Objectives
Upon completion, learners will be able to:
Discuss strategies to manage alcohol withdrawal syndrome in outpatient settings.
Determine safe MAUD implementation among patients with advanced liver disease.
Examine treatment approaches for alcohol use disorder and co-occurring substance use disorders and psychiatric conditions.
Registration Deadline: 05/24/2029
Close Access Date: 07/24/2029
Instructions
Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity.
Click the first section, Screening, Goal Setting, & Conversations About Alcohol Use. On the first component, Digital Resource- Alcohol Use Disorder: Understanding Stigmatizing Language, click Download Digital Resource to get started.
Expand and click each of the curriculum sections and components to review the enduring trainings, online modules, downloadable digital resources, and mini videos.
Once you've reviewed all sections, click Post-Test, Evaluation & Claim Credit section.
Click Complete GPRA Survey to provide valuable activity feedback.
Click Complete Post Test to answer multiple choice questions. Participants will have 10 attempts to pass and must answer 4 out of 5 questions correctly.
Click Complete Evaluation to provide valuable activity feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
Click the button Claim Medical Credits in the box titled Claim Credits & Certificate. Choose the type of credit and click submit. Click the button View/Print Certificate to save or print your certificate. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the ASAM e-Learning Center, clicking Dashboard, and clicking Transcript/Achievements.
Need Assistance?
For assistance logging in, accessing activities, claiming credit, or for other questions or concerns, please check the FAQ page, or contact pcss@asam.org.
Note for pharmacists: For courses offering CPE Credit, pharmacists must claim credit and provide their eProfile ID and Birthdate via the Pharmacist Survey within 30 days of completing the activity. ASAM will not report CPE Credits claimed 30+ days after activity completion to ACPE. ASAM will not report CPE Credits without accurate and complete information. Courses offering CPE Credit will indicate the amount of credit available for pharmacists on the Credits & Disclosure Tab.
Stephen Holt
MD, MS, FACP
No Relevant Financial Disclosures.
Brian Fuehrlein, MD, PhD
Associate Professor Psychiatry
Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Fuehrlein graduated from the M.D. Ph.D. program at the University of Florida in 2008, adult psychiatry residency program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2012 and addiction psychiatry fellowship at Yale University in 2013. He is currently an Associate Professor and the director of the psychiatric emergency room at the VA Connecticut. Dr. Fuehrlein has a strong interest in medical student and resident education, particularly surrounding addiction psychiatry and serves on multiple local and national committees in this role. In 2017 he was awarded the Irma Bland award for excellency in psychiatry resident education through the APA. In 2018 he was awarded the Clerkship Faculty Teaching Award for Outstanding Medical Student Educator and Role Model. He is also passionate about emergency psychiatry and substance use disorders and has presented and published his work surrounding opioid use disorder in the emergency room setting. In 2019 he was inducted into the American College of Psychiatrists, an organization that recognizes excellence in clinical practice, research, academic leadership, or teaching.
No Relevant Financial Disclosures.
Reuben Strayer
MD, FACEP
Maimonides Medical Center
No Relevant Financial Disclosures
Itai Danovitch, MD, MBA, FAPA, DFASAM
Psychiatrist
Cedars Sinai
Itai Danovitch, MD, MBA is Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Danovitch’s clinical practice and research focuses on substance use disorders, as well as the integration of medical and mental health services. His studies are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dr. Danovitch is the author of over 90 articles and book chapters and co-editor of two books on substance use disorders. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, past president of the California Society of Addiction Medicine, and a recipient of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.
In support of improving patient care, the American Society of Addiction Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Certified Counselors: NBCC Contact Hours Not Offered American Society of Addiction Medicine has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7062. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. American Society of Addiction Medicine is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
NAADAC: CE Credits not offered
Maintenance of Certification (MOC)/Continuing Certification Program (CCP)
This activity is designed to meet the requirements for MOC/CCP for several primary physician boards and for state licensing CME requirements. MOC Credit is only reported and designated for ABA, ABP, ABIM, and ABS. By completing the online credit application and evaluation, the learner permits ASAM to report credits to the appropriate Board. Learn more.
ABIM MOC Points: 8.25 Medical Knowledge | 8.25 Patient Safety
ABP MOC: 8.25 Lifelong Learning & Self-Assessment
ABS Continuing Certification: 8.25 Accredited CME
ABA MOCA 2.0®*: 8.25 Lifelong Learning | 8.25 Patient Safety
Additionally, this activity has been designed to satisfy the requirements of the following primary physician board certification requirements. Please confirm with your individual Board.
American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM)
American Board of Preventative Medicine (ABPM)
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
Certificates for other professions
All participants may request a certificate of participation upon completion of the activity and an online evaluation confirming their participation. Learners are strongly advised to contact their professional licensing board or professional association to confirm this certificate will be accepted as evidence supporting continuing education requirements.
California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators (CAADE)
This educational program is approved by CAADE: #CP40 999 1225.
California Association of DUI Treatment Centers (CADTP)
This educational program is approved by CADTP: #205.
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
This educational program is approved by CCAPP: #OS-20-330-1224.
Disclosure Information
In accordance with the disclosure policies of ASAM and Joint Accreditation, the effort is made to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all accredited continuing education activities. These policies include identifying and mitigating all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for those involved in the creation and dissemination of accredited continuing education.
Digital Resource- Outpatient Management of Alcohol Withdrawal
Select the "Download Digital Resource" button to begin. | 5 minutes
Select the "Download Digital Resource" button to begin. | 5 minutes
This infographic provides a flowchart for healthcare professionals to assist with determining a patient’s risk for alcohol withdrawal, medical history, and possible treatment recommendations.
Digital Resource- Treatment of Severe and Complicated Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
Select the "Download Digital Resource" button to begin. | 5 minutes
Select the "Download Digital Resource" button to begin. | 5 minutes
This infographic presents a step‑by‑step flowchart to help health care professionals assess a patient’s risk for severe alcohol withdrawal, perform serial symptom assessments, and determine appropriate symptom‑triggered treatment options.
Biomarker Testing & Determining the Appropriate Level of Care
Digital Resource- Biomarker Testing for Alcohol
Select the "Download Digital Resource" button to begin. | 5 minutes
Select the "Download Digital Resource" button to begin. | 5 minutes
This infographic summarizes various biomarker tests for detecting recent, ongoing, or chronic alcohol use. It compares both alcohol-specific and non-specific biomarkers based on their detection windows, accuracy, cost, and clinical limitations to aid in selecting appropriate testing methods.
Mini Video- The ASAM Criteria: Determining the Appropriate Level of Care for Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 7 minutes
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 7 minutes
This video discusses The ASAM Criteria and its significance in ensuring that individuals with alcohol use disorder or other substance use disorders receive appropriate levels of care. This video addresses the often-inconsistent care provided to patients with alcohol use disorder, highlighting how The ASAM Criteria can improve outcomes by standardizing assessments, defining levels of care, and establishing decision rules. The video demonstrates the practical application of The ASAM Criteria in clinical settings and emphasizes its benefits for both patients and healthcare providers.
Mini Video- Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder in Liver Disease
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 12 minutes
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 12 minutes
This video discusses the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in patients with liver disease. It emphasizes the critical importance of treating AUD to improve patient outcomes and prevent liver disease progression. This video explains the different stages of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and highlights the considerations for prescribing medications for AUD at each stage.
Mini Video- Behavioral Tools for Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 8 minutes
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 8 minutes
This video introduces brief, practical behavioral tools for primary care providers to support patients with alcohol use disorder. It highlights strategies that help patients identify triggers for alcohol cravings and develop skills to prevent or manage a return to drinking. The video focuses on the RAC framework (Recognize, Avoid, Cope) and behavior chain analysis to map the sequence of events that leads to drinking, as well as mindfulness-based “urge surfing” to manage cravings. It emphasizes that even short clinical encounters can be used to build effective coping strategies and improve treatment engagement and outcomes.
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 7 minutes
Select the "View Mini Video" button to begin. | 7 minutes
This video explains the Sinclair Method, a structured, off-label approach to treating alcohol use disorder that involves taking naltrexone, an FDA-approved opioid receptor antagonist, prior to alcohol consumption. It compares the Sinclair Method to traditional and targeted naltrexone dosing, and offers guidance on identifying appropriate patients, understanding its advantages and limitations, and implementing the treatment protocol effectively.
Up to 8.25 medical credits available | Certificate available
Up to 8.25 medical credits available | Certificate available
Attendees should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Enter Pharmacist CPE Monitor Information (Required for Pharmacists)
2 Questions
2 Questions
Pharmacists and Pharmacist Technicians are required to enter their CPE Monitor reporting information. All other health professionals, including physicians, social workers, nurses, etc., should skip this step.
Pharmacists must complete credit claim withing 30 days of completion. Failure to do so will result in credits not being reported to ACPE. ASAM will not report credits claimed 31+ days after activity completion.
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