Treating Fentanyl & High-Potency Synthetic Opioid (HPSO) Use Disorder: Evidence-Based MOUD Protocols, Induction Strategies, & Harm Reduction Approaches in Real-World Care Settings
Health systems across the country are confronting a new clinical reality – treatment protocols developed during earlier phases of the opioid crisis may not fully address the challenges presented by fentanyl and other high-potency synthetic opioids.
Higher tolerance levels, increasing overdose risk, and widespread polysubstance use are reshaping how opioid use disorder (OUD) must be treated. For executive leaders, the challenge is no longer simply implementing evidence-based treatment; it’s ensuring that clinical protocols, workforce training, and care models are equipped to effectively engage and stabilize individuals in the fentanyl era.
These issues were the focus of the third webinar of the 2026 RECADEMY 12-part series featuring Dr. Brian Hurley, Medical Director, Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Los Angeles County Department of Public Health), in conversation with OPEN MINDS’ Vice President of Clinical Excellence & Leadership, Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D.
During the session, Dr. Hurley emphasized that fentanyl exposure requires clinicians and systems to rethink traditional treatment approaches.
Featured Speakers
Brian Hurly, MD, MBA, FAPA, DFASAM
Dr. Hurley is an addiction physician and Medical Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. He currently serves as Immediate Past President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and has led numerous initiatives to expand access to evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services across public health systems.
Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D.
Dr. Buttlaire is the Vice President of Clinical Excellence and Leadership at OPEN MINDS. He brings over 35 years of executive, clinical, and policy experience to OPEN MINDS. He has experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery. His career has focused on advancing integrated behavioral health and addiction medicine through strategic innovation, system redesign, quality improvement, and sustainable policy reform.
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