Changing the Approach and Culture Around Substance Use Disorders, Interview with Dr. Jennifer Potter, UT Health San Antonio

Dr. Jennifer Potter, Professor of Psychiatry & Behavior Science, and VP for Research at UT Health San Antonio is working to overhaul the treatment approach and culture around substance use. 

 

She’s on a mission to provide compassionate, evidence-based treatment using a rational and scientific approach to reduce morbidity and mortality, while increasing access and equity.

 

With funding from a large grant, she’s using a 3-pillared approach to make massive change and serve as an exoskeleton to existing treatment programs. 

 

The three pillars include:

• Tech to create a provider network
• Tele-mentoring to provide expertise and support to providers 
• A 24-hour Telehealth and telemedicine virtual clinic called Recovery Texas.

 

Dr. Potter also talks about how the pandemic has shaped substance use, how substance use is intertwined with mental health, and the culture of substance use in the US, and so much more! 

 

This is another can’t-miss interview!

 

Connect with Dr. Potter:

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifersharpepotter/

 

Learn more about Recovery Texas:

https://recoverytexas.org 

 

Learn more about UT Health San Antonio: 

https://www.uthscsa.edu 

 

Topical time codes:

00:43 - Federal funds for mental health and substance abuse

4:19 - Becoming the exoskeleton for existing treatment programs

5:53 - Getting treatment into practice 

8:24 - Capacity

9:27 - Prevention and substance use culture 

12:12 - Mental health issues as a risk factor for substance-use disorders

15:40 - Perception of substance use and impact on treatment 

18:40 - Role of compassion and science

20:55 - Stigma of substance use

25:25 - Role of substance use, normalizing healthy use

27:31 - Personal passion and connection