How to Implement Contingency Management Principles to Increase Treatment Outcomes in Addiction

LaVelle Hendricks

PhD

May 15, 2026, 1:00-2:30 PM (EST)

Session Description

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and has become a major driver of the opioid overdose crisis. Originally developed for medical pain management, illicitly manufactured fentanyl has flooded drug markets, often mixed with other substances without users’ knowledge. Its extreme potency significantly increases the risk of accidental overdose and death, even in minuscule amounts. This summary explores the pharmacological effects of fentanyl, its role in the rise of opioid-related fatalities, public health challenges, and strategies for prevention and harm reduction, including the distribution of naloxone and the implementation of evidence-based education and treatment programs.

Presenter

Dr. LaVelle Hendricks is a tenured professor and former Department Head of Counseling at East Texas A&M University. He has served in many leadership positions in Counseling, mental health, and in the field of drug and alcohol addiction. He is President-Elect of the International Association of Alcohol and Offender Counselors. He has served on the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professional, Past President of Texas Council of Faculty Senates, and currently a trustee on the Commerce Independent School Board. He is a licensed chemical dependency counselor, certified grief and loss counselor, and certified anger resolution therapist.

Questions?

Please contact Dr. Natalie Ricciutti at nricciut@charlotte.edu or 704-687-8960 if you have questions regarding the program.

Please contact Dr. Jordan Z. Boyd at jboyd44@charlotte.edu if you have questions regarding registration.

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