In 2019, the Physician Assistant, MPA program faculty developed a lecture series titled “Patient-Centered Approach to Identification and Management of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs).”

This series equips healthcare providers with invaluable tools for identifying patients with substance use disorders. The educational mission goes beyond mere identification of SUDs, aiming to cultivate a profound understanding of the disease and impart skills for compassionate and dignified management and treatment of the disease.

Drs. Ajay Manhapra and Stephanie Peglow played pivotal roles in crafting this series. We extend a warm invitation for your participation in the session scheduled for Feb. 12 to Feb. 15, 2024, including a networking event on Thursday, Feb. 15.

Networking Event: Creating a Community of Support

Event details

Experts in the field of addiction medicine will provide a four-day course on substance use disorders. Students and clinicians will be provided with tools to identify patients at risk and properly utilize motivational interviewing to enhance patient interactions. Additionally, this course will provide information about treatment options and local resources available to patients, as well as appropriate prescribing and management of pain.

The lecture series will be followed by a community networking event. The purpose of this event is to connect students and providers on the front lines of healthcare with local community resources for patients and families affected by substance use disorders, including addiction medicine practices, community services boards and more. The goal is for each attendee to leave feeling better equipped to connect patients and their families with appropriate resources that will put them on a path toward hope and recovery.

View Agenda
View Resource Guide
View Patient Handout

Dr. Ajay Manhapra

Ajay Manhapra, MD
Dr. Manhapra received his Doctor of Medicine degree at MBBS Medical College in India. He completed his internal medicine residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and a Fellowship in Addiction Treatment at Yale School of Medicine. He is the Section Chief of Pain Management at the Hampton VA Medical Center. He has received several national awards and has spoken internationally on addiction and pain management.

Dr. Stephanie PeglowStephanie Peglow, DO, MPH
Dr. Peglow earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences At Old Dominion University and Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Research, and a Master’s in Public Health at Yale University.

Her research interests are in health policy of addictions, disparities in opioid use disorder treatment, and innovative and harm reduction models for addiction treatment.

Dr. Jennifer Hanner

Jennifer Hanner, MD, MPH
Dr. Hanner is a Norfolk native. She earned her medical degree from the University of Virginia and completed psychiatry residency training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

She then completed fellowships in Addiction Psychiatry at Columbia University and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at New York University. Dr. Hanner is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences At Old Dominion University, serving as a Community Faculty member.

Dr. Jonathan Lee

Jonathan Lee, MD, MBA
Dr. Lee is Medical Director at the Farley Center in Williamsburg, Virginia. He is board certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Internal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. He is Co-Chair of the Physicians’ Health Committee for the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Dr. Lee serves as Co-Chair of the Education Committee for the Virginia Society of Addiction Medicine.

Edward Logan

Edward Logan
Mr. Logan began his career in 1982 when he joined the Philadelphia Police Department where he joined the DEA Task Force. He then became a Diversion Investigator for the Philadelphia Division of the DEA in 2011. He has held several positions and is now the Diversion Group Supervisor for the Washington Division.

He focuses on collaborating with the community and healthcare professionals to ensure compliance and prevent diversion.

Odessa Ochoa

Odessa Ochoa
Ms. Ochoa is a native of Trinidad and Tobago. She received her Master of PA Science from Seton Hill University and holds a PhD in Public Health from Walden University. She began a career in addiction medicine over ten years ago at The Farley Center and currently works at the Hampton VA Medical Center. Her passion in combatting the opioid epidemic is matched by her determination to help families and those struggling with substance use and mental health disorder reflected in her motto “It’s never too late to change.”

David Arthur

David Arthur
Mr. Arthur obtained his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University while working as a mental health technician at Tucker’s Psychiatric Pavilion in Henrico, Virginia. He obtained his Physician Assistant degree from Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences 
At Old Dominion University and had over 7 years of experience in Emergency Medicine before transitioning into Psychiatry. His areas of interest include suboxone treatment for opiate use disorder and substance use disorders. He currently works as part of the next day access clinic at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

The Community Networking Event: Creating a Community of Support event concludes the four-day immersive course: Patient-Centered Approach to Identification and Management of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). We hope you will consider attending this wonderful networking event.

The networking event will be held on Friday, Sept. 6, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Waitzer Hall, Room 100. We seek community partners who are interested in sharing resources that are available to help equip providers in healthcare. This event will be open to the public. Participation in this event is free.

Interested in hosting a table at the networking event? Registration for this event is free. Please register your organization.

Park in Visitor Parking Garage A located between Olney Road and Fairfax Avenue off of Wagner Road. Bring your ticket stub with you as you as you will be provided with validation stickers to stick onto the stub. When you exit the elevator side of the parking garage, turn left and walk along Children’s Lane across Fairfax Avenue. Continue along Children’s Lane toward Visitor Lot B.

Waitzer Hall is located behind Andrews Hall. Enter Waitzer Hall through the main doors in front of the green space lawn. This building is only accessible with a badge, but someone will be available to let you in. Guests will need to check in with security in the lobby. The Networking Event will be in Room 100 on the second floor. Directional signs will lead to the room.

A map with arrows pointing to the location of the training. Directions outlined in the text above.

o    Aegis Sciences Corp.
o    Al-Anon Family Groups
o    Benzodiazepine Information Coalition
o    Drug Enforcement Administration
o    Farley Center
o    GHR Center for Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery
o    Life Consultants Inc.
o    Master Center for Addiction Medicine
o    NAMI Coastal Virginia
o    Panacea Behavioral Health & Wellness Center
o    Precision Diagnostics
o    Sentara Health
o    The Up Center
o    United Community Solutions
o    Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center