4th Annual Opioid Use Disorder Conference
Hosted by the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine
April 15, 2026
Baylor Medicine Jamail Specialty Care Center
4th Floor, Jamail Classrooms E4.120 and E4.125
1977 Butler Blvd., Houston, TX 77030
The opioid use epidemic has been at the forefront of societal concerns in the US. With the DEA-MATE Act, all providers have to be able to adeptly prescribe and manage Opioid Use Disorder and related issues, which have proliferated. Treating teams face multiple challenges, including the need to treat chronic pain, the over-prescription of opioids, the need for effective alternatives, and the illicit use of opioids. The focus of this conference is pharmacological, psychotherapeutic treatments of OUD, along with overviews of the impact on families and children. We are proud to involve multiple community organizations that provide substance use treatments so attendees can have a comprehensive view of how to get patients effective OUD treatments in and out of the medical system. A main goal for the attendees is to be empowered and confident to initiate and/or maintain treatments for OUD.
This conference will help attendees earn education credits in pain management and the prescription of opioids needed for the DEA-MATE Act.
| Time | Lecture Title/Scope | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 8 - 8:15 a.m. | Breakfast | |
| 8:15 - 8:30 a.m. | Opening Statements | Sandeep Markan, M.D. Asim Shah, M.D. Nidal Moukaddam, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 8:30 - 9 a.m. | Opioid Use Disorder Prescribing Principles | Benjamin Li, M.D. |
| 9 - 9:30 a.m. | Harris Health & Houston Recovery Center Collaboration | Asim Shah, M.D. |
| 9:30 - 10 a.m. | City-wide View from the Houston Forensic Science Center | Marissa Vergara |
| 10 - 10:30 a.m. | Emergency Medicine at the Forefront of Opioid Use Disorder Management: Updates from Ben Taub Hospital | Stephen Harding, M.D. |
| 10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45 - 11:15 a.m. | Office Based Addiction Treatment (OBAT) for Harris County-Opportunities & Challenges | Mohammad Zare, M.D. |
| 11:15 - 11:45 a.m. | Travis County Overview for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment | Lief E. Fenno, M.D. |
| 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Kratom & Regulations | Nancy Shenoi, M.D. |
| 12:15 - 1 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1 - 1:30 p.m. | The Role of the Community Pharmacist in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access | Doug Thornton, Pharm.D., Ph.D. |
| 1:30 - 2 p.m. | Anesthesia Advances to Mitigate & Minimize Post-operative Opioid Use | Ameer Shbeeb, M.D. |
| 2 - 2:30 p.m. | Neonatal Abstinence Syndromes | Catherine Gannon, M.D. |
| 2:30 - 3 p.m. | Taking Care of Women Who Use Drugs: Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Program Update | Catherine Eppes, M.D. Andres Ojeda, M.D. |
| 3 - 3:30 p.m. | Opioid Co-ingestants: Cannabinoid Update | Chris Verrico, Ph.D. |
| 3:30 - 4 p.m. | Opioid Co-ingestants: Nicotine/Vaping/Hookah Update | Nidal Moukaddam, M.D., Ph.D. |
CME and Social Work Credits Available:
- 6.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 6.50 Attendance
- 1.00 Ethics
- 6.50 Pain Management
- 6.50 Social Work
Activity Directors:
- Nidal Moukaddam, M.D., Ph.D.
- Asim Shah, M.D.
- Benjamin Li, M.D.
- Andres Ojeda, M.D.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
The conference is free, but registration is required.
Please note: While morning sessions are in person to support interactive activities, attendance is optional for virtual registrants. Virtual attendees are welcome to attend the morning sessions in person if able, but are not required to do so.
For questions or inquiries, please contact Michele Haykal.