JCOIN Substance Use and Disorder Trainings

Overview

The City of St. Louis Department of Health Behavioral Health team offers free educational courses designed to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and provide practical information about substance use, overdose prevention, and recovery. These self-paced courses are available to residents and community members looking to strengthen their knowledge and better support individuals and families in our community.

Course 1 - Introduction to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Medication Efficacy

(MOUD 100 level)

“This course examines evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders, with a focus on the critical role of FDA-approved medications in improving health outcomes. The course also examines the heightened risk of overdose, particularly among justice-involved individuals, and underscores why the reentry period following incarceration represents a critical window for intervention and overdose prevention.

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of medications for opioid use disorder, including the differences between the three primary medications (methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone). The course explores how these medications work and how they can be integrated into a comprehensive, multimodal approach to care. In addition, participants will learn how addressing the biological, psychological, and social dimensions contributes to long-term recovery and improved public health and safety outcomes.”

Course 1 Additional Information

Course 2 - The Science and Effectiveness of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

(MOUD 200 level)

“This course provides a comparative overview of the three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD; e.g., methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone), including how they work, their effectiveness, and their respective benefits and limitations. Participants will explore the neuroscience of addiction, with a focus on how substance use affects the brain’s reward and reinforcement systems, and the critical role medications play in treatment and recovery.

The course also examines how each medication interacts with brain receptors, as well as its impact on patient experience and treatment adherence. Drawing on a strong evidence base, it highlights how medications reduce overdose deaths, relapse, and involvement with the criminal legal system. It also offers insights into perspectives from individuals with lived experiences and how MOUD supported their recovery and health.”

Course 2 Additional Information

Course 3 - Addressing the Stigma Around Substance Use Disorder

“Substance use disorders are one of the most highly stigmatized health conditions worldwide. Stigma creates barriers to early intervention, screening, treatment, and effective recovery, particularly in healthcare and criminal justice settings.

This course offers an introduction to the latest research and innovations in addressing stigma at the intersection of addiction and criminal justice involvement. Participants will learn about the social processes that drive stigma and how it manifests at both the individual and structural levels through institutional policies, practices, cultural norms, and personal attitudes and interactions. Participants will also learn actionable strategies to reduce stigma, including person-first, recovery-oriented language and multi-level interventions that shift both attitudes and institutional practices.”

Course 3 Additional Information

Course 4 - Reentry Best Practices for Individuals with Substance Use Disorder

“This course shares the best practices for supporting individuals with substance use disorders who are involved in the criminal justice system. The course will discuss the heightened risk of overdose during the first weeks of reentry and will teach how to implement evidence-based practices that improve health and safety outcomes.

Participants will learn about screening and assessment tools, withdrawal management, recovery capital, and evidence-based treatment, including behavioral therapies and medications for addiction treatment (MAT). Participants will also learn the essential components of reentry planning, such as addressing basic needs, developing relapse prevention strategies, and implementing overdose education and naloxone distribution to reduce post-release overdose deaths.”

Course 4 Additional Information

Course 5 - Fentanyl Facts and Overdose Risk

“This course shares information about the dangers and facts of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, highlighting their role as the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. The course will discuss how fentanyl is increasingly mixed into counterfeit pills and street drugs and how the potency and unpredictability of these substances contribute to overdose risk. The course also dispels common myths about fentanyl exposure, particularly among first responders, and reinforces the importance of evidence-based safety practices.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to respond to fentanyl-related risks using science-backed strategies. Topics include the importance of naloxone distribution, overdose prevention education, and access to effective treatment options.”

Course 5 Additional Information

*Please note: These trainings are free and accessible to the public.

Training Information - Courses 1-5