In the world of high school education, there are teachers who leave a lasting impact on their students. For me, one such teacher was Brother Patrick, a man who bore a striking resemblance to the late Irish actor Barry Fitzgerald (whose movie credits include How Green was My Valley, Bringing Up Baby, and The Quiet […]
Blog
Celebrate Pathways to Recovery at the 2023 Pittsburgh Recovery Walk
IRETA is proud to once again sponsor the 2023 Pittsburgh Recovery Walk. This year’s event promises to be an event like no other. The Walk will be held on Saturday, September 16th at 1201 Waterfront Place in Downtown Pittsburgh. People from across western Pennsylvania will come together as a community to celebrate recovery, spread hope, and […]
A Firsthand Look at The Scaife Medical Student Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders
Lauren Druml, a member of this year’s June cohort, wrote about her experience in the program and the impact participation will have on her medical career.
The Importance of Hepatitis C Testing and Other Harm Reduction Measures for People Who Inject Drugs
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness that hepatitis continues to be a public health threat in the United States. Hepatitis C, which is spread through contact with contaminated blood, is often contracted by people who inject drugs (PWID). Hepatitis C is treatable, but unfortunately, many people who are infected and […]
Raising Awareness for Effective Mental Health Counseling in Addiction Treatment
April is National Counseling Awareness Month. The month-long celebration was created by the American Counseling Association to bring awareness to the ways mental health counselors help keep individuals and communities healthy. The celebratory sense of the month is meant to help remove stigma around seeking help for mental health counseling and encourage people who may not […]
Xylazine: What Does the Emergence of this New Contaminant Mean for People Who Use Drugs and Health Care Providers?
Throughout the past year, a substance called xylazine has been saturating the drug supply in many parts of the United States. Xylazine is a powerful sedative used in veterinary medicine, typically for larger animals like horses and cattle. It is not considered to be safe for humans. However, the drug has been found to be […]
Join Us In Pittsburgh for the 2023 Scaife Medical Student Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders!
We are excited to announce that for the first time since prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, we will be hosting a portion of the fellowship in Pittsburgh for experiential, in-person learning.
Pennsylvania has Legalized Fentanyl Test Strips, But Legality Does Not Equal Accessibility
In early November, Governor Tom Wolf signed legislation that legalized the use of fentanyl test strips in Pennsylvania. Before reaching Governor Wolf’s desk, the legislation passed the PA House and Senate unanimously. This change comes as fentanyl continues to escalate overdose rates in Pennsylvania and across the United States. Fentanyl, which is undetectable by sight, […]
Adding to the Universal Addiction Medicine Toolbox
Dawn Lindsay, Ph.D, is the Director of Research and Evaluation at IRETA. Dawn and her team have been working with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) this past year to develop a clinical guideline addressing the management and treatment of stimulant use disorders. This project is […]
Making Sure Youth Substance Use Prevention Efforts are Effective
Most adults who meet the criteria for substance use disorder began their use in their teenage or young adult years. For this reason, early and effective substance use prevention for youth is extremely important. “Effective” is a key word when it comes to youth substance use prevention efforts. For years, Project Drug Abuse Resistance Education […]
