The Rural Health and Substance Use Clinical Support (RHeSUS) Program offers educational programming including DATA Waiver Training, Substance Use Disorder Management Boot Camps, RHeSUS ECHO Lunch and Learn tele-education Series, Addiction Consultation Provider Hotline, RHeSUS Office Hours, educational webinars, and more, targeting health care providers and their teams in the project’s rural catchment area.

Substance use and related harms in the U.S. and in Wisconsin have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most (70%) rural Wisconsin counties lack an opioid treatment program, or a provider licensed to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction. Additionally, the number of people served by AODA treatment services in Wisconsin has declined dramatically, even though substance use and impacts have been increasing, by 75% since the first quarter of 2019, likely due to COVID related impact on services.

Program Goals include:
 

• Increase the number of health care providers who actively prescribe evidence-based pharmacotherapies for use disorders
• Improve access to evidence-based medical care and peer recovery support for rural residents struggling with addiction
• Decrease opioid overdose rates

Funding for RHeSUS was provided by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health from the Wisconsin Partnership Program (WPP).

Upcoming Education:

• Wisconsin Rural Health and Substance Use Clinical Support (RHeSUS) Program Lunch and Learn Series
  • Save the Dates!
    • The third Monday of each month from 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
    • October 17, 2022 through September 18, 2023
  • Target Audience:
    • MDs/DOs, Advanced Practice Practitioners, Social Workers, Behavioral Health Providers, Peer Recovery Service Providers and anyone who treats and cares for people struggling with substance use disorder.
  • Objectives: After completion of this educational series, participants will increase their ability to:
    • Formulate treatment & prevention plans for patients engaged in risky and problem substance use.
    • Deliver appropriate preventive services to people who misuse alcohol and other drugs.
    • Select appropriate pharmacotherapy for patients who have an alcohol or other substance use disorder.
    • Identify community resources to facilitate health and recovery for people engaged in risky and problem use of alcohol and other drugs.

2022-2023 Topic and Presenter Schedule

Date	Topic	Presenter
17-Oct	Overview of SUD & rural trends	Randy Brown
21-Nov	Alcohol withdrawal management	Randy Brown
19-Dec	Alcohol use disorder pharmacotherapy	Randy Brown
23-Jan	Watch: Case presentation & discussion (Alcohol case) Password: vJmHQ6zA	Ritu Bhatnagar
20-Feb	Watch: Buprenorphine 101 Demystifying ED Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Password: EsfMAJV8	Dr. Redwood
20-Mar	Case presentation (MOUD Initiation/Stabilization)	TBD
17-Apr-22	Peer recovery services	Joe, Kaitlyn
15-May	Stimulant use disorder	David Leinweber
15-Jun	Alternatives to opioids for pain mgmt	Dr. Redwood
17-Jul	Case presentation & discussion (pain and addiction or stimulants)	TBD
21-Aug	Prevention & health maintenance for people who use drugs	Bruehlmann
18-Sep	Case presentation & discussion	TBD

• How to Join
  • Join from the meeting link: https://uwmadison.webex.com/uwmadison/j.php?MTID=mbdaa5ed566394a92442d06ac5eb05530
  • Join by meeting number: 
    • Meeting number (access code): 2624 745 7624
    • Meeting password: 12345
  • Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only)
    • +1-415-655-0001,,26247457624#12345# US Toll
    • +1-312-535-8110,,26247457624#12345# United States Toll (Chicago)
    • Some mobile devices may ask attendees to enter a numeric password.
  • Join by phone
    • +1-415-655-0001 US Toll; +1-312-535-8110 United States Toll (Chicago)
    • Global call-in numbers
  • Join from a video system or application
    • Dial 26247457624@uwmadison.webex.com. You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

For More Information
Contact RHeSUS Program Director Jill Lindwall or Protea Outreach Coordinator Nada Rashid.
 

• Substance Use Disorders Management Boot Camp (May 2023)
  • Please join us for a Substance Use Disorders Management Boot Camp conference in May 2023! This training aims to enhance confidence and competencies related to the management of substance use disorders in general medical settings. Through case-based and interactive didactic content, the workshop will explore issues related to assessment, monitoring, prevention, and management in the setting of unhealthy substance use. 
    • ​​Who: Intended for clinicians in primary care settings who wish to expand knowledge related to the medical management of opioid and alcohol use disorders
    • When: Thursday, May 4 and Friday, May 5, 2023
    • Watch for registration link coming soon.
    • For more information, click here.
    • For questions, contact Jill Lindwall, WHA Quality Manager | RHeSUS Program Director or Kathleen Maher, Outreach Coordinator, at Kathleen.Maher@fammed.wisc.edu

RHeSUS Office Hours:

• A forum available for providers to discuss issues related to the management of patients with substance use disorders in the general medical setting. Dr. Randy Brown will be available to provide clinical support on questions such as managing patients with at-risk alcohol use and use disorder, prescription controlled substance issues, OUD/SUD management, and more. Questions can be on broader management topics or specific to a patient in your care.
• Details:
  • Every third Tuesday of the month from 12:00pm -1:00 pm
  • Join Zoom Meeting here
  • For additional questions, contact RHeSUS Program Director Jill Lindwall or Randall Brown, MD, PhD, DFASAM: randy.brown@fammed.wisc.edu
  • RHeSUS Office Hours Flier
  • Target Audience: All providers treating and/or managing patients with substance use disorders in the rural In-Patient, Emergency Department, and General Medical Settings

News Releases:

• 'The need is as great as it's ever been': New program to expand substance abuse treatment in rural Wisconsin (WKOW)
• New program to expand access to substance abuse treatment in rural WI (WisPolitics)
• UW, WHA partner to expand substance abuse treatment in rural communities (Channel 3000)

Partners

• 

  PROTEA - University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Program for Research, Outreach, Therapeutics, and Education in the Addictions (PROTEA)
  
  For more information or questions, contact Kathleen Maher, PROTEA Outreach Specialist.
   

• 

  Wisconsin Voices for Recovery's mission is to unite people in and seeking recovery, their families, helping professionals, and our allies.

Stay Connected

RHeSUS Network: COMING SOON! – A professional online community engagement platform for all-in-one access to resources, networking, and more.

Contact: For more information or questions, please contact Jill Lindwall, WHA Quality Manager | RHeSUS Program Director.