Strength in Tradition: Leveraging Cultural Foundations to Address Alcohol Use Disorder in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
Online Module
Created: September 2025
Overview
This educational module aims to increase healthcare professionals' capacity to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. It covers the unique social and historical factors influencing AUD and highlights culturally informed and evidence-based treatments, including medications for AUD. The goal is to equip learners to provide respectful, informed care that incorporates patient-centered care to improve treatment outcomes for AI/AN individuals.
The target audience for this activity includes all clinical healthcare professionals.
This activity addresses the following ACGME Competencies: Patient Care and Procedural Skills; Medical Knowledge and Professionalism.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion, learners will be able to:
Recognize how historical trauma, cultural stigma, and systemic mistrust influence health behaviors and outcomes, and engagement with the healthcare system in AI/AN communities.
Describe common co-occurring conditions within AI/AN communities.
Examine the structural factors and social determinants affecting AI/AN peoples’ health outcomes and access to care.
Discuss evidence-based and Indigenous knowledge-based approaches to treating alcohol use disorder in AI/AN communities.
Identify culturally adapted, patient-centered strategies that support holistic, multi-modal recovery, including both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment approaches.
Explain strategies to strengthen referral networks and build culturally informed, multidisciplinary partnerships that support recovery and maternal health in AI/AN communities.
Registration
This education is made available for free to all learners through grant funding by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant number 1H79TI086771-02 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Cancellations
All cancellation requests must be made in writing to pcssmaud@asam.org within 90 days of registration. Automatic cancellations and notifications will be made for any course with a live-activity component that has been cancelled.
Registration Deadline: 08/30/2027
Close Access Date: 09/30/2027
Instructions
Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity.
Click View Course to complete the on-demand module.
Click Complete Post Test to answer multiple choice questions. Participants will have 10 attempts to pass and must answer 3 out of 4 questions correctly.
Click Complete GPRA Survey to complete the SAMHSA GPRA Survey.
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 Complete Evaluation - Presenters to provide valuable presenter 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.
For Pharmacists ONLY: Complete the task entitled "Enter Pharmacist CPE Monitor Information (Required for Pharmacists)". Pharmacists must claim credit and provide their eProfile ID and Birthdate via the Pharmacist CPE Monitor Information 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.
Need Assistance?
For assistance logging in, accessing activities, claiming credit, or for other questions or concerns, please check the FAQ page, or contact pcssmaud@asam.org.
Daniel L. Dickerson, D.O., M.P.H.
Daniel Dickerson, D.O., M.P.H., is Associate Research Psychiatrist at UCLA, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP). His research focuses on the development of substance use treatment and prevention programs for American Indian/Alaska Native youth and adults. He is currently co-Principal Investigator on National Institutes of Health-funded study, "Motivational Interviewing and Culture for Urban Native American Youth (MICUNAY)" an alcohol and drug use prevention research program targeting urban Native American youth. He is also Principal Investigator on a study investigating the potential benefits of a substance use intervention utilizing drumming for Native Americans, "Drum-Assisted Recovery Therapy for Native Americans (DARTNA)," and is also co-Principal Investigator on "Native American Youth Sleep, Health, and Wellness (NAYSHAW)," a study analyzing health and sleep among urban Native American youth.
Autumn Ambroday, DO
Dr. Autumn Ambroday is board certified as a psychiatrist and addiction medicine physician. She is currently working as the Behavioral Health Medical Director for White Earth Nation and oversees the Tribal MAT and Mental Health programs. Dr. Ambroday received her medical degree from A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed psychiatry residency at the University of Arizona with additional training in addiction. She specializes in dual diagnosis patients, trauma informed care, and telehealth with rural, underserved areas.
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.
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.
ABA MOCA 2.0®*: 1.0 Lifelong Learning | 1.0 Patient Safety
ABIM MOC Points: 1.0 Medical Knowledge | 1.0 Patient Safety
ABP MOC: 1.0 Lifelong Learning & Self-Assessment
ABS Continuing Certification: 1.0 Accredited CME
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-20-330-0227.
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.
See the attached pdf for a list of disclosures.
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.
MOCA 2.0® is a trademark of the American board of Anesthesiology®.
This activity contributes to the patient safety CME requirement for Part II: Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment of the American board of Anesthesiology's (ABA) redesigned Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program® (MOCA®), known as MOCA 2.0®. Please consult the ABA website, https://www.theaba.org/, for a list of all MOCA 2.0 requirements.
The complete list of disclosures and designation statements are linked below.
Up to 1.00 medical credits available | Certificate available
Up to 1.00 medical credits available | Certificate available
Participants should claim only the credits 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.
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