Continuing Education

Safe and Effective Pain Care: A Comprehensive Guide for Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care

The Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NE PA AHEC) has been selected as a participating partner for a national clinical curriculum: Safe and Effective Pain Care: A Comprehensive Guide for Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care. This partnership with the National AHEC Organization (NAO) and Pri-Med aims to equip local primary care clinicians with the advanced skills needed to assess, diagnose, and treat pain while minimizing the risk of opioid dependence.

Millions of Americans live with acute and chronic pain and healthcare providers are essential in ensuring they receive safe, effective care.

Pri-Med Institute offers Safe and Effective Pain Care, a free, 4-hour, self-paced online course designed to strengthen confidence in pain assessment, treatment planning, and responsible opioid prescribing. The curriculum is fully compliant with the U.S. FDA Opioid Analgesic REMS education requirements. Comprehensive pain care is a team effort. Every member of the care team will benefit from the modules on non-pharmacologic options, recognizing signs of misuse, and supporting patients through the tapering process.

Target Audience:

Priority Audience – Prescribing Clinicians (MD, DO, NP, PA): Prescribing healthcare providers seeking to master FDA-compliant pain management and satisfy REMS education requirements.

The Full Healthcare Team: Content is highly relevant to all team members, including Nurses, Pharmacists, Social Workers, Community Health Workers, Care Coordinators, etc., to ensure a unified approach to patient safety.

Future Professionals: Students in Medical, Nursing, and Physician Assistant programs are encouraged to participate to build a strong foundation in evidence-based pain care.

This CME Training is:

FREE

Online

Self-paced

4 hours

Accredited Program:

4 AMA PRA Credits

4 AANP Contact Hours

3 AANP Pharmacology Hours

Register on Pri-Med

Expiration Date: 10/31/2026

Northeast PA AHEC’s mission has always been to enhance access to quality healthcare in Northeast Pennsylvania. By being selected for this initiative, we are ensuring our local Doctors, Nurses, and Physician Assistants have the best possible tools to manage pain safely and effectively within our community.

Clinicians who participate will learn a full spectrum of pain management, including non-pharmacologic options and strategies for safely tapering opioids. Participation status for local providers will be shared with the NAO to track regional progress in opioid safety education.

For more information and to access the curriculum, visit the Pri-Med website.

For questions or assistance, please contact Leslie Petroff, MPH, Northeast PA AHEC.

Email Leslie

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Navigating Youth Behavior

Accessing behavioral health providers has become more challenging as the demand for services grows. To address this, we've teamed up with The Wright Center for Community Health to offer a Virtual Lunch & Learn Series!

Sessions will take place on the 3rd Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 PM every other month!

Virtual Lunch & Learn Series Schedule

Session 1 April 17, 2024: The Acute Assessment of Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents

Session 2 June 19, 2024: Autism Spectrum Disorder: Symptomology and Interventions

Session 3 September 18, 2024: Practice Update for the Management of ADHD in Primary Care

Session 4 November 20, 2024: Assessment and Management of Depression in Children and Adolescents in Primary Care

Session 5 January 15, 2025: Management of Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Session 6 March 19, 2025: Trends and Evidence-Based Treatment in Adolescents and Substance Use Disorder

Session 7 May 21, 2025: Trauma-Informed Care; An Overview

Session 8 August 20, 2025: Eating Disorders: Assessment and Management

Session 9 October 15, 2025: Empowering Conversations: Reducing Shame and Blame in Pediatric Behavioral Health

Session 10 January 14, 2026: Crisis in the Pediatric Population

Session 11 March 18, 2026: Engaging Families in Behavioral Health Services

Session 12 May 20, 2026: Pediatric Irritability and Aggression

Each session will be submitted to AAFP for 1 CME credit and 1 NASW

“This project/publication was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,498,614 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.”

Contact Information: For more information, contact Valerie Williams or Alicia Novak.
Email Valerie Email Alicia

Register Here

Past Sessions

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Perinatal Behavioral Health

Lack of access to behavioral health services during the perinatal period can be especially dangerous. Pregnant people and new parents are uniquely vulnerable to new onset and exacerbations of pre-existing mental health, substance use, and physical health conditions during and after pregnancy. Join us for a lunch and learn series to learn evidence-based strategies for managing mental health and substance use disorders in pregnant and postpartum patients.

Virtual Lunch & Learn Series Schedule

Session 1 June 4, 2025: Perinatal Mental Health Dos and Don’ts and Crisis Management

Session 2 September 17, 2025: Maternal SUD Program at Penn State Health

Session 3 November 19, 2025: Stimulant Use Disorder in Pregnancy

Session 4 February 11, 2026: Treatment of Comorbid Mental Health Conditions and SUD During Pregnancy

Each session will be submitted to AAFP for 1 CME credit

Contact Information: For more information, contact Valerie Williams or Alicia Novak.
Email Valerie Email Alicia

Register Here