Updates in Addiction Medicine and Addiction Medicine Fellowship (Updates since January 2021)

 

1. The following faculty have joined our program as core faculty

Jennifer Bello-Kottenstette, MD, MSPH

Dr. Bello is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University. Her research interests include understanding and addressing the reproductive health needs of women and men with substance use disorders. She increased her time at ARCA in clinical care and research on July 1, 2021

 

Aaron Laxton, MSW, LMSW

Aaron Laxton is the Director of Behavioral Health and a therapist with Assisted Recovery Center of America. He is a graduate of the Saint Louis University School for Public Health and Social Justice, where he received his Master of Social Work with an emphasis on Community and Organizations. He is a licensed Master of Social Work in the State of Missouri. Aaron has worked in the social services for more than a decade in the St. Louis metropolitan area including projects ranging from homeless services, harm reduction, transitional living, and VA specific programs. Prior to his current role, Aaron was the Director of Street Outreach on the Statewide Opiate Response grant in the St. Louis region. Aaron is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Saint Louis University focusing in addiction treatment and trauma. 

 

Philip Wenger, PharmD, MSCI, VCPS

Dr. Wenger is the Director of Research and Compliance at ARCA. His work includes developing data entry and reporting tools for the electronic health record, working towards and maintaining accreditation for ARCA programs, and advancing research and grant efforts. He also holds an adjunct faculty appointment at SLU School of Nursing and serves as core faculty in the SLU Addiction Medicine Fellowship. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy and received a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation from Washington University School of Medicine upon completion of the NIH-sponsored Mentored Training Program in Clinical Investigation. He is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and has served as an ambulatory care clinical pharmacist in the VA system, correctional healthcare and a family medicine clinic focused on geriatric patients. He teaches psychopharmacology to advanced practice nursing students through the School of Nursing.

 

Jaye Shyken, MD

Dr. Shyken transitioned to emerita faculty at Saint Louis University on January 1, 2021. She remains active in our didactic programs and scholarship.

 

Also, Kate Austman, MD, who completed our fellowship on January 5, 2021, has been appointed volunteer clinical faculty. She will sit for her ABMS Addiction Medicine Board Examination in the fall.

 

1. Fellows for AY 2021-2022

 

We are funded for two positions from Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) in this coming academic year. We had eleven applicants, and we are welcoming two mid-career physicians. Amanda (Amy) Hilmer, MD is a general internist with over 16 years of practice in St. Louis—currently at Family Care Health Centers and Places for People. She and her family have deep ties in St. Louis. Sonja Williams, DO, is an OB-GYN from Phelps County Hospital in Rolla and will be training to return as a hospital champion. During her year in the program, she will use her scholarship time to develop and build an OB/GYN—Addiction Medicine service with her local FQHC. She and her family also have deep ties to Missouri.

 

We are currently recruiting for AY 2022-2023. We are funded for 2 fellows through MFH. Efforts for funding beyond that year continue.

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1. Research

   1. Funded research

                                                              i.      Rottnek, F. W. Trauma-Informed Care Training Curriculum Development for First Responders to People with Non-Fatal Drug Overdoses, Subject Matter Expert, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Association of County and City Health Officials; 12.5% effort, 12/1/2020—7/1/2021 (will be extended)

1. Support provided as part of Saint Louis University Family and Community Medicine contract with Assisted Recovery Centers of America.

                                                             i.       "A Randomized, Open-Label, Parallel-group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of the Digital Therapeutic OXD01 (MODIA™) in Combination with Sublingual Buprenorphine/Naloxone for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder".

                                                           ii.      Orexo, US, Inc. deprexis, beta test project for deprexis®, a web application intended for the adjunctive treatment of chronic or recurrent depression or depressive disorders as a primary or secondary diagnosis for patients 18 years of age or older (November 2020 – November 2021)

                                                         iii.      Alkermes, Inc. Survey of Self-reported Cognitive and Other Functioning in Subjects on Buprenorphine or XR-Naltrexone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. ALKS 21-029N. (September 2019 – January 2021)

1. Publications

   1. Bello JK, Baxley C, Weinstock J. Preconception Health Services for Women with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD): A Review and Best Practice Recommendation. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. 2020. In Press.

   2. Rottnek, F., & Laxton, A. (2021). Homeless and COVID-19: Interventions for an Acute Exacerbation of a Chronic Condition. Missouri Medicine, 118(3), 196–202.

   3. Rottnek, F. COVID-19, Doctors, and the “Realities of Prison Administration”, Part 1: The Realities of a Subject Matter Expert, SLU Journal of Health Law & Policy, Publication pending Summer, 2021

 

1. Invited Presentations

   1. Rottnek MD, MAHCM, F. W. (2021, March). LSEN Missouri Roundtable on Neuroscience. LSEN Missouri Monthly Roundtable. Zoom: Missouri Local Science Engagement Network.

   2. Rottnek MD, MAHCM, F. W. (2021, March). Addiction Medicine Workforce Development through Academic-Community-Government Partnerships. SAMHSA Region 7/COPE conference. Zoom: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

   3. Rottnek MD, MAHCM, F. W. (2021, March). Delivering Medication Assisted Treatment for Addictions via Telehealth. International Digitas Zoom Conference. Zoom: University of St. Andrew’s School of Medicine, Edinburgh, Scotland.

   4. Rottnek MD, MAHCM, F. W. (2021, April). Implementation of Telehealth and Virtual Services during COVID-19. ATTC Region 5 and 7 Presentation. Zoom: Health Resources and Services Administration.

   5. Rottnek MD, MAHCM, F. W. (2021, February). Substance Use Disorders and Older Adults. Grand Rounds. Saint Louis University: Saint Louis University Department of Geriatric Medicine.

   6. Rottnek MD, MAHCM, F. W. (2021, February). Opioids, Pain, and Responsible Prescribing. Grand Rounds. Saint Louis University: Saint Louis University, Division of Emergency Medicine