Coveted Dole-Nyswander Awards to go to Linda Hurley and Allegra Schorr  – Addiction Treatment Forum

Hurley award

The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) will present Linda E. Hurley, President and CEO of CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, with its Nyswander-Dole Award to recognize her extraordinary work and service in the opioid treatment field.  

The Nyswander/Dole “Marie” Award is the highest accolade AATOD can bestow on someone in recognition for having made significant contributions in the field of opioid use disorder treatment. Dr. Vincent Dole and Dr. Marie Nyswander, two pioneers in the research of medication-assisted treatment for addiction, were the first recipients of this Award in 1983. (It is fondly called the called “The Marie Award” after Dr. Nyswander).  AATOD will be honoring seven individuals who have been nominated and selected by their peers for extraordinary service in the opioid treatment community.

Ms. Hurley, BA, MA, CAGS currently serves as president and CEO of CODAC, Rhode Island’s oldest, largest and only nonprofit outpatient opioid treatment program. Under Ms. Hurley’s leadership, CODAC has been a national leader in developing new paradigms for the treatment of opioid use disorder, including creating a national model for medication-assisted treatment services in carceral settings and deploying the first mobile unit to offer methadone services under the new DEA regulations.

Ms. Hurley will be presented with the Nyswander-Dole “Marie” Award during the 2024 AATOD Conference, to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 18 – May 22, 2024. The 2024 conference theme is “Treating Opioid Use Disorder: So Much More Than Medication.”  The awards ceremony will take place prior to the middle plenary session on the morning of Tuesday, May 21, 2024. 

Mark Parrino, M.P.A., President of AATOD, stated: “Linda is one of the most experienced and talented program administrators in the country. She has enhanced the quality of patient care in the CODAC facilities and represents an excellent example of how treatment programs respond to the needs that our patients present. She is a gifted and remarkable person and our field is fortunate to have her providing such meaningful and heartfelt care.”

Ms. Hurley stated: “I am delighted to be recognized by my peers and to receive this award; it is an honor and a distinction, and I congratulate my fellow award recipients who are among the most respected professionals in addiction treatment.  CODAC also looks forward to sharing our models, best practices and outcomes at the Conference alongside the cutting-edge topics and presenters that this meeting brings together, both nationally and internationally.” 

During the Conference, Ms. Hurley will also be presenting on CODAC’s medication-assisted treatment in a justice setting.  CODAC’s presentation at AATOD 2024 will be as follows:

• Monday, May 20, 2024, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Workshop A — Patient Care & Best Practices

A4 – Comprehensive Medication-Assisted Treatment in Justice Setting: The National Model Outcomes That Support Adoption

Primary Presenter(s):  Rosemarie Martin, PhD, Associate Professor, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island

Co-Presenter(s): Linda Hurley, MA, CAGS, LCDCS, CCJP, CEO, Codac, INC., Cranston, Rhode Island

From the program/schedule:  This presentation examines the guiding principles of a comprehensive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program located at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, a national model that provides patient-centered care and reduces mortality among formerly incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD)…

About CODAC Behavioral Healthcare

CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, a non-profit organization founded in 1971, is Rhode Island’s oldest and largest provider of outpatient services for opioid use disorder, other substance use disorders, and concurrent behavioral health challenges. With eight locations across Rhode Island, CODAC has attained Center of Excellence designations for each of its treatment sites. CODAC has done extensive work with individuals involved in the criminal justice system since 1994 and, in 2016, launched a program with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) that was the first of its kind in the United States to screen all inmates for opioid use disorder and provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for those in need. Results from CODAC’s RIDOC program have been studied and published, and the program has been recognized as “a model for all 50 states” by the Department of Justice, SAMHSA and multiple other national agencies.  In addition, CODAC is now licensed in Massachusetts to operate an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).  For more information about CODAC, visit: www.codacinc.org

Schorr award

The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) will present Allegra Schorr, President of the Coalition of Medication-Assisted Treatment Providers and Advocates of New York State (COMPA), with its Nyswander-Dole Award to recognize her extraordinary work and service in the opioid treatment field.  

The Nyswander/Dole “Marie” Award is the highest accolade AATOD can bestow on someone in recognition for having made significant contributions in the field of opioid use disorder treatment. Dr. Vincent Dole and Dr. Marie Nyswander, two pioneers in the research of medication-assisted treatment for addiction, were the first recipients of this Award in 1983. (It is fondly called the called “The Marie Award” after Dr. Nyswander).  AATOD will be honoring seven individuals who have been nominated and selected by their peers for extraordinary service in the opioid treatment community.

Ms. Schorr, MS, serves as President of COMPA and is Vice President of West Midtown Medical Group, which is seen in New York State (NYS) as a “gold standard of care” thanks to the dedicated service of the Schorr Family, and the unwavering advocacy of Ms. Schorr. Through her efforts, West Midtown Medical Group became the first opioid treatment program (OTP) to dispense buprenorphine in an OTP setting in NYS and one of the few programs in the country to deliver co-located, integrated comprehensive primary care treatment in an OTP. Ms. Schorr has been instrumental in supporting legislation for incarcerated individuals to continue treatment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Schorr and COMPA helped implement New York City’s first methadone delivery service which helped meet a critical need during the public health emergency. 

Ms. Schorr will be presented with the Nyswander-Dole “Marie” Award during the 2024 AATOD Conference, to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 18 – May 22, 2024. The 2024 conference theme is “Treating Opioid Use Disorder: So Much More Than Medication.”  The awards ceremony will take place prior to the middle plenary session on the morning of Tuesday, May 21, 2024. 

Mark Parrino, M.P.A., President of AATOD, stated: “Allegra has done a remarkable job of organizing the opioid treatment programs in New York State and working in conjunction with state and federal agencies. Her magnificent leadership has led to program and policy improvements throughout the New York State system of care and has provided extraordinary guidance during extremely difficult times. Patients have benefited from her creative leadership as we cement greater relationships with the correctional system and courts.”

Ms. Schorr stated: “I am thrilled to receive this award from AATOD, particularly since it is comes from my peers.  Moreover, I see this as an acknowledgement for my fellow members of COMPA and the work we are doing in New York State to battle stigma, advance science-based treatment and humanize people dealing with opioid use disorder.  The researchers for whom this honor is named discovered and established the use of methadone to treat opioid addiction, and it has formed the basis for our approach in opioid treatment programs across the country.”   

About COMPA

The Coalition of Medication-Assisted Treatment Providers and Advocates of New York State (COMPA) is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to treating addiction through the use of pharmacotherapy as a part of a comprehensive bio-psycho-social approach to treatment.  COMPA-member programs, numbering more than 45 organizations across New York State, treat more than 41,000 New Yorkers from every corner of New York State and help them to overcome their dependence on illicit opioids and other drugs. COMPA, along with its member treatment programs, affiliate members, and corporate members works to improve all aspects of the lives of patients. This involves advocacy with federal, state, and local governments as well as a variety of educational activities.  COMPA’s program members provide Medication Assisted Treatment and include both Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) and Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) providers. COMPA is the New York State member program of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD).  Visit www.compa-ny.org.  Facebook: @companyc; Twitter: @COMPA_New_York 

About AATOD 2024

The 2024 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) Conference will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, May 18 – May 22, 2024. The 2024 conference theme is “Treating Opioid Use Disorder: So Much More Than Medication.”  The intent is to educate and promote acceptance and integration of MAT options by patients, families, clinicians, the medical system, judicial systems, government, policymakers, social service administrations, and the general public. For more information, visit https://aatod.eventscribe.net/