Course Overview

This course was created and provided by the Virtual Center of Excellence (VCE), a former project of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN). Content and format will be updated in the near future to address current accessibility standards. If you are unable to access the content in this section, please contact the imp support team for assistance.

Basic Principles of Detoxification with Mark Menestrina, MD, Fellow American Society of Addiction Medicine (FASAM), outlines the rationale for treating withdrawal as the first step in the recovery process. The major classes of drugs of abuse will be reviewed, including alcohol. The withdrawal symptoms for each class will be outlined, as well as the pharmacological agents commonly utilized to treat each class of drug withdrawal syndrome. This would be appropriate for National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) or Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP).

  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Credit Hours: MCBAP-R (0.0), MCBAP-S (4.0), Mi-CEC (0.0), Nursing (0.0)

Topics Covered

Understanding Detoxification

This course has been designed to provide participants with a in-depth understanding of detoxification and its use in treating substance use disorders (SUD). This course will define what detoxification is; including providing information on the three essential components of detox (evaluation, stabilization, and entry to treatment), and the six different DSM-5 terms relating to detox and treatment. 

Using Detoxification in Treatment Plans

Participants of this course should develop an understanding of when to utilize detoxification as an effective tactic, but also when using this tactic may not be the best option. This course will provide a deeper understanding of the differences between chemical dependency and behavioral dependency as a tool to help inform the treatment plan. 

Additional Considerations

For some individuals, detoxification is the strongest precursor to effective substance use treatment.


Course Objectives

  • Define detoxification in the framework of behavioral health.
  • Understanding the differences in chemical dependency and behavioral dependence.
  • Define detox as distinct from substance abuse treatment.
  • Describe the three essential components of detox: evaluation, stabilization, and fostering entry to treatment.
  • Distinguish the six different DSM-IV-TR definitions of terms relating to detox and treatment 

What People Are Saying

The module was very informing and gave good examples of situations and how to handle them with specific drills.

- Elissa J.