Dancing, Not Wrestling: Expanding and Enhancing SUD Services Through Practice Transformation and Partnerships
Michael Ganon, DO, Sarah Aleman, LCSW, and Rina Ramirez, MD
‘Dancing, Not Wrestling: Expanding and Enhancing SUD Services Through Practice Transformation and Partnerships’
2026 CHI Community Health Conference – Education Sessions
August 2026
Session Description:
As more CHCs prepare to provide or expand SUD services, attendees will hear from a dynamic family physician trained in addiction medicine and two health center leaders and illustrate how health centers can become an ideal place to provide SUD services or enhance existing SUD services, including the provision of both medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and medications for Alcohol Use Disorder (MAUD). They will reflect on their experience, in which they adopted a person-centric approach, leveraged practice transformation around Trauma Informed Care principles and established community partnerships. This has led to enhanced training and support for existing staff, addition of new workforce models and brought about a seismic change in the delivery of SUD services (from a handful of patients in 2021 to over 400 patients in 2026) and organizational mindset around addiction. Strategic partnerships, particularly with addiction medicine specialists and SUD and other support servicey organizations, signal a path forward. A new UDS measure, Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment, signals the importance of timely clinical interventions for patients with SUD and for follow up, and excellent outcomes are possible in FQHCs with integrated primary care and behavioral health models.
Learning Objectives:
- Establish and become a known partner of choice for referrals of patients in need of MOUD and MAUD, both from local Emergency Departments, hospitals, and community partners.
- Motivate, identify opportunities and implement strategies to educate and support primary care and behavioral health providers in the excellent provision of MOUD/MAUD services.
- Enhance workflows and financial strategies to support SUD services by advancing roles within the health center, leveraging telehealth, 340B and expanding BH services.
