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IRETA

Institute for Research, Education & Training in Addictions

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Evidence-Based and Best Practices

What Happens After Rehab? Gaps in Recovery Housing and Long-Term Support

Written by Marla Kauffman | April 16, 2025

When we talk about addiction treatment, the conversation often centers on access: How do we get people into care? What barriers stand in the way? How can we remove them? These are important questions—but they’re only part of the story. Recovery doesn’t end when someone finishes a 28-day residential program or completes an outpatient cycle. […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Evidence-Based and Best Practices Tagged With: addiction recovery, addiction treatment, Blog, mental health, mental health support, recovery support

The Power of Gratitude: A Scientific Look at How Thankfulness Boosts Mental Health

Written by Marla Kauffman | December 20, 2023

Adopting an “attitude of gratitude” is encouraged for people in 12-step recovery programs. Creating a gratitude list is a daily practice used by many to pay attention to the positive things in their lives and recovery journey. Gratitude is also a practice promoted more and more in wellness and self-help communities. But how does gratitude […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Evidence-Based and Best Practices Tagged With: Blog

A Firsthand Look at The Scaife Medical Student Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders

Written by Marla Kauffman | August 1, 2023

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.

Filed Under: Addiction, Evidence-Based and Best Practices, IRETA and Our Services, News, Pittsburgh, Profiles

Xylazine: What Does the Emergence of this New Contaminant Mean for People Who Use Drugs and Health Care Providers?

Written by Marla Kauffman | February 17, 2023

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 […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction in the News, Evidence-Based and Best Practices, News, Pittsburgh Tagged With: Addiction, addiction treatment, Harm Reduction, opioid addiction, substance use disorder, xylazine

Making Sure Youth Substance Use Prevention Efforts are Effective

Written by Marla Kauffman | October 24, 2022

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 […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Evidence-Based and Best Practices Tagged With: Addiction, red ribbon week, substance use, teenage drug use, youth prevention

IRETA Continues to Provide Intensive Learning Experience on Substance Use Disorders for Medical and Pharmacy Students

Written by Marla Kauffman | August 12, 2022

For 23 years, IRETA has hosted medical students for the Scaife Medical Student Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders. The program has been held virtually since 2020, due to COVID-19. This year’s program continued online. For three weeks in both June and July, small cohorts of medical and pharmacy students logged in from across the country […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Evidence-Based and Best Practices, IRETA and Our Services, News, Pittsburgh Tagged With: addiction medicine, addiction treatment, medical student, medical student fellowship

Will the FDA’s Crackdown on Tobacco Products Help Improve Public Health?

Written by Marla Kauffman | July 28, 2022

Is a Juul ban enough to solve the problem of nicotine addiction in young adults? Time has shown us that bans often don’t keep people from using a product or substance.

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction in the News, Evidence-Based and Best Practices, News Tagged With: Addiction, cigarettes, juul, smoking addiction, teens vaping, tobacco

How Can We Better Serve Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Individuals in Addiction Treatment Settings?

Written by Marla Kauffman | June 30, 2022

Despite that fact that transgender and gender non-conforming people disproportionately experience substance use and mental health disorders, there is a lack of trans-inclusive care and knowledge about gender identity within the addiction treatment field.

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction in the News, Evidence-Based and Best Practices Tagged With: Addiction, addiction treatment, transgender

The Role of Alcohol in the Overdose Crisis

Written by Marla Kauffman | April 13, 2022

Much of the recent discourse in the addiction treatment and recovery community has touched upon the record-breaking rise in overdose deaths in the United States, as well as the sharp uptick in alcohol use that came about at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. But very rarely is alcohol discussed as being a part of […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction in the News, Evidence-Based and Best Practices, News, Research Updates, SBIRT Tagged With: alcohol addiction, alcohol use disorder, COVID, overdose, overdose crisis

The Importance of Speaking the Same Language in Addiction Treatment

Written by Marla Kauffman | March 17, 2022

There is a recognizable need for improved treatment for substance use disorder in the United States. Drug overdose deaths are at an all-time high and standardization of the delivery and coverage for addiction treatment can be hard to find. Unfortunately, as it stands, addiction treatment and reimbursement practices can vary greatly from state to state, […]

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction in the News, Evidence-Based and Best Practices, News Tagged With: addiction medicine, addiction treatment, ASAM, free resource, free resource for addiction, substance use disorder, toolkits

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IRETA

The Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addictions (IRETA) is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit located in Pittsburgh, PA. Our mission is to help people respond effectively to substance use and related problems.

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611 William Penn Place
Suite 301
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

P: 412-258-8565
F: 412-391-2528

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