Despite the scale of the opioid crisis, courses on substance use treatment are still absent from many psychology graduate training programs. Yet with increased awareness, more trainees are asking for this education—and APA is helping to provide it.
From 2019 to 2021, with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), APA worked with experts from Division 50 (Society of Addiction Psychology) to develop a substance use disorders curriculum for use by graduate programs, internships, and postdoctoral programs. The curriculum covers topics such as assessing and treating substance use, screening for addictive behaviors, cultural and family influences on substance use, and understanding recovery as a process of change. During the period of funding, 35 programs with 367 students used the curriculum. After using the curriculum, 94.2% of students reported their knowledge of substance use disorders was greater, and 91.4% of instructors reported increases in their ability to provide training related to substance use. The six-module curriculum is available for delivery in person or online.
