Opioid ECHO

3rd WEDNESDAY of each month from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

October 2025 - May 2026

This ECHO, coordinated by the Department of Psychiatry at SIU School of Medicine, aims to create a network of trained providers with DATA-2000 waivers who will improve access and care for patients with opioid addiction. The Opioid ECHO will also train clinicians who have the DATA-2000 waiver but who are not yet prescribing.

Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a movement to demonopolize knowledge and amplify the capacity to provide best-practice care for underserved people all over the world through three tenets:

  1. Multipoint video conferencing
  2. Best practices protocol
  3. Case-based learning

Clinicians are strongly encouraged to identify local behavioral health partners to participate in the SIU Opioid ECHO with them.

Benefits

  • Earn up to 8 continuing education credits
  • Present your cases to a panel of psychiatrists and addiction specialists
  • Learn and interact with experts from your phone, computer or tablet. No need to travel!
  • Discuss timely topics, including anxiety, PTSD and opioid abuse

Opioid specialty team

  • Arindam Chakrabarty, MD
  • Ayame Takahashi, MD
  • Ashima Datey-Chakrabarty, MD
  • Marcella Bland
  • William Loveland

Opioid Curriculum Outline 2025-2026

  • October 15, 2025: Opioid Treatment Medication Essentials
  • November 19, 2025: Complications of Opioid Medications
  • December 17, 2025: Neurobiology of Addictions
  • January 21, 2026: Psychiatric Comorbidity Relevant to Opioid Addiction and Treatment
  • February 18, 2026: Pain Management and Alternatives to Opioids
  • March 18, 2026: Management Strategies for the Relapsing or Aggressive Patient
  • April 15, 2026: Compassionate Opioid Tapering
  • May 20. 2026: Foods and Nutrition Related to Opioids

Continuing education

This ECHO is provided by the SIU SOM with funding provided in whole or in part by the State of Illinois, Department of Human Services. 

As a participant, you will receive 8 (1 hour) sessions at no cost to you or your organization. Each session will include a short didactic on a specific topic related to opioids, a case presentation, and a discussion and recommendations on the case. The number of credits is dependent on the number of sessions attended. ACCREDITATION: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medication education for physicians. CREDIT: The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with their participation in the activity. SIU School of Medicine is preapproved as a continuing nursing education provider according to Section 1300.130, subsection c), 1), B), and P) of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Nurse Practice Act. Nurses may receive a maximum of 1.0 contact hour for completing this activity. SIU School of Medicine is a licensed provider for continuing education for nursing home administrators (license #139-000027), social workers (license #159-000106), clinical psychologists (license # 268-000008), professional counselors/clinical counselors (license number 197-000073), and dietitians/nutrition counselors (license #199.000121). This program offers a maximum of 1 CE hour (per session attended).

Questions? Contact our ECHO team. Once registered, you’ll receive a welcome packet from the SIU ECHO team.