The Problem
In Iowa, there is only 1 mental health provider per every 500 Iowans. Out of over 7,000 DEA-licensed providers, only 193 (or less than 3%) offer buprenorphine, one of the most common and life-saving SUD-treating medications. 25 out of 99 Iowa counties have no Substance Use Disorder prescribers at all, leaving an already-underserved population more out of reach. This issue is directly reflected in the recent rise in deaths due to substance use in our state, as shown below:
Iowa ranks 11th in the country in substance use disorders, and in the top 5 for both binge drinking and methamphetamine use. So far, 0 of 10 Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) strategies to reduce overdose death and increase treatment access have been implemented in our state. These issues are going anywhere without an organized effort to build awareness, reduce stigma, and teach evidence-based practices to the next generation of providers.
The Solution
The RISE-IA team has built an interdisciplinary curriculum for early education on substance use, and it is guided by SAMHSA's Core Elements and Standards. This curriculum is called [insert new].
At the end of this curriculum, students will have learned to:
- Apply validated screening tools to identify high risk or heavy substance use across clinical settings.
- Explain the mechanisms, benefits, and risks of FDA-approved medications for opioid, tobacco/nicotine, and alcohol use disorders, including their use in pregnant and lactating people, adolescents, elderly populations, rural groups, and incarcerated individuals.
- Apply motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care principles when assessing and treating patients with substance use disorders, including addressing stigma, structural barriers, and co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Deliver and/or support evidence-based strategies for pain management in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), including the use of buprenorphine, full-agonist opioids, non-opioid pharmacologic agents, and non-pharmacologic interventions.
- Promote evidence-based overdose prevention and risk reduction strategies, including naloxone distribution, safer use education, and access to medications for addiction treatment (MAT).
The curriculum includes the following sessions, and these can be adapted for your program:
- Introduction & Assessing SUD
- Stigma, Trauma, & SDOH
- Helping People Change
- Case Conference: Alcohol
- Case Conference: Nicotine
- Medications for OUD & Overdose Prevention
- Case Conference: Opioids
- Managing SUD in Special Populations
- Pain Management in OUD
- Case Conference: Pain Management
To learn more about the curriculum and how it might fit into your program's current offerings, email sarah-c-murray@uiowa.edu.
How Would Your Department or College Benefit?
Learn how your organization or institution can partner with the RISE-IA team to combat Iowa’s overdose crisis: sarah-c-murray@uiowa.edu.
Our Partnerships
Community Partners
Prairie Ridge
- Located in Mason City
- Open to RISE-IA students of varying disciplines, depending on in-real time capacity and students' interest in rural care
- Best match for students who are searching for fast-paced innovation and the ability to make a change during their rotation
- Available for a one-day shadow regardless of level of experience or expertise
- Available for full-length rotations for students specifically interested in pursuing a career in the Mason City area or in rural substance use
STUDENTS: Contact Sarah Murray if this site fits your criteria, and the RISE-IA team will do our best to find you an ideal rotation match.
Area Substance Abuse Council
- Open to RISE-IA students of varying disciplines
- Best match for students who are interested in a hands-off, observation-only learning setting
- Available for a one-day shadow regardless of level of experience or expertise
- Not available for full-length rotations for students at this time
- More than a dozen offices and locations across Iowa
STUDENTS: Contact Sarah Murray if this site fits your criteria, and the RISE-IA team will do our best to find you an ideal rotation match.
People's Community Health Clinic
- Located in Waterloo
- Open to RISE-IA students of varying disciplines
- Best match for students who are interested in a hands-off, observation-only learning setting
- Available for a one-day shadow regardless of level of experience or expertise
- Not available for full-length rotations for students at this time
STUDENTS: Contact Sarah Murray if this site fits your criteria, and the RISE-IA team will do our best to find you an ideal rotation match.
St. Ambrose University
- Physician Assistant program
- Curriculum first delivered in August 2025
- 24 students so far have interacted with RISE-IA curriculum
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. Interpretation and translation services will also be available to any person who needs them. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, or are in need of interpretation or translation services, please contact Sarah at sarah-c-murray@uiowa.edu.