Kudos to Gov. Pete Ricketts and others for their unusual but sensible approach to the burgeoning opioid abuse problem sweeping the country.

The Governor, Attorney General Doug Peterson and representatives of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) teamed up to create the addiction medicine fellowship program and will partner to oversee it.

Ricketts said the addiction fellowship will address substance use disorders, not only illicit drug addiction, but also the even larger public health issues of nicotine dependence, alcohol use, and binge drinking. The collaboration will allow Nebraska to train its own specialists and increase visibility for UNMC’s excellence.

DHHS Chief Executive Dannette R. Smith says the time has come to fully integrate the science of addiction into medical practice. Such a move will improve the health of all Nebraskans and recognize the fact that while the state has a commendably low rate of opioid use disorder, it is not immune.

Addiction medicine fellowships are multispecialty-training programs that focus on the provision of care for persons with unhealthy substance use, substance use disorders, and other addictive disorders. Addiction medicine physicians work in diverse settings, including clinical medicine, public health, education, and research.

The addiction medicine fellowship provides fellows with experience in the prevention, clinical evaluation, treatment, and long-term monitoring of substance-related disorders. The training emphasizes the management of medical and psychiatric conditions in the comprehensive care of these patients and utilizes a wide range of evidence-based interventions.

UNMC Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold said the center has an opportunity to lead and educate a new generation of physicians to address the opioid epidemic and other substance use disorders. He said the school educates the workforce to serve individuals with organ system disease, trauma, cancer and more, so it’s fitting that it continues as a national leader in addressing the prevention and treatment of substance use and addiction.

Gold says healthcare providers who are comfortable and competent with addiction-related care will serve as change agents to transform the healthcare system. Primary care, internal medicine providers and specialists who have daily patient contact are a natural place for those with underlying substance use disorders to seek help.