Training Description:
This session will explore the development, implementation, and outcomes of the Primary Care Addiction Treatment (PCAT) program launched by Healthcare Network, a federally qualified health center in Collier County, Florida. The PCAT program integrates behavioral health and primary care to treat substance use disorders (SUD) using the Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT-B) Collaborative Care Model and Project ECHO framework. Implemented in both rural (Immokalee) and urban (Naples) settings, PCAT addresses barriers such as stigma, cost, and limited access to care.
Participants will gain insight into strategies for developing SUD programs in primary care settings that promote health equity and address the complex needs of underserved populations. The session also highlights common comorbidities—medical and psychiatric—and presents data demonstrating clinically significant improvements in substance use, depression, and anxiety among program participants. Additionally, the program has led to increased confidence and collaboration among primary care providers treating SUDs for the first time.
Learning Objectives:
Objective 1: Participant should gain knowledge development and understanding to implement a substance use disorder program in the primary care setting in rural and urban underserved communities.
Objective 2: This session will promote equity by demonstrating how substance use disorder treatment programs can be developed in primary care settings to meet the needs of Underserve populations.
Objective 3: This session will highlight the most common comorbidities observed in these patients, including various medical and mental health conditions.
Objective 4: This session will present educational strategies employed to address, overcome, or remove barriers to implementation of SUD in the primary care setting.
Presenters:
Phara Lafortune-Morame, LCSW
Marlene Gonzalez, MD
Healthcare Network
Phara Lafortune-Morame is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Florida.
She earned her master’s degree in social work from Western Michigan University and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI. Additionally, she holds the Master’s Level Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP) credential, which underscores her expertise in treating substance use disorders. Understanding the comorbidities of substance use disorders and trauma, she went on to obtain a certification in trauma. She is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), showcasing her ability to address complex trauma in various populations. Phara has worked in community mental health and the private sector and has always been interested in providing services to underserved communities. She currently works at Healthcare Network, a nonprofit federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Naples, FL, where she serves as the Associate Clinical Director of Behavioral Health. Phara is also passionate about education and dedicated to preparing the next generation for service. Therefore, Phara serves as a Qualified Supervisor (QS) for registered social work interns and supervises practicum students from local universities such as Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). Phara strongly believes that research effectively integrates theory and practice. She is currently a third-year Ph.D. student in Social Work at Sacred Heart University and teaches as an adjunct professor. She understands the inter- and intra-connectedness of the human system, she is concentrating her research on chronic disease management in adult minoritized groups, examining the role of spiritual belief in managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)/glycemic control and impact on mental health. Phara is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association (EMDRIA), the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA), The American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
Marlene Gonzalez, MD, Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Marlene Gonzalez was born and raised in Cuba and relocated to the United States at the age of 13. She began her academic journey in San Francisco, California, earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of San Francisco. Driven by a passion for learning, she moved to Miami, Florida, to complete a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Barry University. Dr. Gonzalez then pursued her medical education at Ross University School of Medicine, where she embarked on her path to becoming a physician.
After medical school, Dr. Gonzalez relocated to Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, where she completed her Family Medicine Residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network in 2018. She practiced as a Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician at Lehigh Valley Health Network until January 2022, where she made significant contributions to the health and well-being of her patients. During her time at Lehigh Valley, she also served as faculty for the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine, furthering her involvement in medical education.
In February 2022, Dr. Gonzalez joined the Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida, continuing her practice in one of their locations in Immokalee, Florida. Her commitment to healthcare is evident through her ongoing role as faculty at the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine, where she remains dedicated to shaping the future of medicine.
