EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES BOOKLETS

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood (aged 0 to 17). The child could experience one or many potentially traumatic events, including: experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home/community; having a family member attempt or die by suicide; growing up in a household with substance use or mental health problems; facing instability due to parental separation or household members in jail or prison. These experiences can lead to many negative consequences. In adulthood, ACEs have been linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems (vitAL).

Contingency management (CM) is a type of behavioral therapy that is often referred to as “motivational incentives.” CM uses the core processes of operant conditioning, a concept from behavioral psychology, where the participant is given reinforcement when they perform desirable behaviors and punished or ignored when those behaviors are abandoned. CM is a helpful tool as part of treatment for substance use disorders, and can also be used in treatment plans for other behavioral issues (vitAL).

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic approach to treating mental and behavioral health conditions. This form of psychotherapy focuses on the relationships among cognitions (thoughts), emotions (feelings), and behavior (actions). CBT has been demonstrated to be very effective and can lead to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life for several conditions and situations, including: substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, relationship conflicts, coping with medical illness, and severe mental illness (vitAL).

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) that uses a combination of medications, counseling, and behavioral therapies. It is an evidence-based approach to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) that is
effective at helping patients sustain recovery. The goal of MAT is to discourage substance use and provide patients with the tools necessary to remain in recovery. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the abstinence rate from opioids exceeds 60% in long-term follow up of MAT (vitAL).

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based style of communication used in counseling that emphasizes behavioral change by using techniques and strategies like reflective listening, shared decision-making, and eliciting change talk. This guiding communication style allows the patient to strengthen their personal motivation for change and get to the root cause of what has been holding them back from the goals they want to achieve. MI has a strong impact on patients; even a short 15-minute session can prove to be very helpful (vitAL).

Opioids are a class of drugs used to reduce pain. There are both legal and illicit versions that include: prescription pain relievers, synthetic opioids (i.e., fentanyl, pethidine, levorphanol, methadone, tramadol, and dextropropoxyphene), and heroin. Opioids produce euphoric feelings, but also detrimental consequences. For many, the feelings they receive from opioids outweigh these consequences. Opioids are highly addictive, and the risk of overdose and death are great. Nearly half of Alabama’s drug overdose deaths result from opioid use (vitAL).