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am pleased to welcome you to AATODs updated website, which includes
all of our current policy initiatives, focusing on expanding access
to care in the criminal justice system and better understanding the
dynamics of increasing prescription opioid abuse and its effects on
admitting new patients to OTPs.
We
are working with our Nevada associates to produce AATODs next
National Conference, which will convene at the Venetian/Palazzo
Hotel in las Vegas, Nevada during April 21-25, 2012, which is being
Chaired by Shirley Linzy, and hosted by the Nevada Department of
Health and Human Services/Division of Mental Health and Developmental
Services/Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency.
AATOD
has also recently received approval with our policy partner (EUROPAD)
as the World Federation for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence was
given Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status by the Department
of Social and Economic Affairs within the United Nations. This will
allow us to work more effectively with international policy partners
as we expand access to chronic opioid addiction treatment wherever
it is needed throughout the world.
We
are also working with our policy partners to increase access to
Prescription Monitoring Program datab[pases as a method of treating
our patients more safely and effectively.
We
encourage you to view our membership section and contact us if you
have any interest in joining as individual members, program members,
or developing statewide associations. There is also a new document
on the website, which discusses the challenges that AATOD has faced
over the past 25 years and the solutions that we applied in resolving
these matters.
We
all hope that you find this website to be informative and a useful
reference tool. I look forward to seeing you at our next National
Conference in Las Vegas from April 21-25, 2012.
Sincerely
yours,

Mark W. Parrino, MPA
President

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