Counseling Buprenorphine Patients: Information and Treatment Approaches for Counselors

Abstract

The Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 allows qualifying physicians to prescribe buprenorphine out of office-based practices to treat opioid-dependent patients, with the requirement that they have the ability to refer them to ancillary counseling services. It is likely that these patients will be seen by a wide range of counselors with varying experience in treating addictions. In order to enable the spectrum of counselors working with buprenorphine patients to receive information regarding opioids, buprenorphine, opioid dependency, and relevant counseling approaches, an online course has been developed. The information and rationale provided in this course is summarized in this article, including: background information regarding opioids and buprenorphine; general issues in counseling patients with substance abuse disorders; and approaches to counseling buprenorphine patients.

Keywords:

• addiction
• buprenorphine
• counseling
• opioids
• treatment