Cara A. Poland, MD, MEd, FACP, DFASAM
Vice-President
Cara A. Poland, MD, MEd, FACP, DFASAM is a faculty member at Michigan State University. She earned her medical degree from Wayne State University. She was trained in internal medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and addiction medicine at Boston Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her master’s degree in education from Boston University.
Her work centers around educating healthcare providers and providers-in-training to improve care for patients with substance use disorders. To this end, in 2018, she identified the need to strengthen our country’s Addiction Medicine workforce. Led by Dr. Poland, MI CARES trains physician-level addiction specialists across the country. Over 2,000 physicians in all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico have been supported by MI CARES. The program also teaches physicians-in-training, resident physicians, social work students, social work practitioners, APRN, and PA practitioners.
Her didactic program involves purposeful education to train healthcare providers to treat persons with SUDs in a kind, compassionate, destigmatized way. Dr. Poland also has a particular interest in treating families affected by substance use disorders. Dr. Poland regularly appears in the media and at community events, advocating for those she serves. She has directly influenced policies and procedures around the treatment of people with SUDs. Her persistent advocacy has helped to advance more evidence-based treatment opportunities, as evidenced by her role as the Public Policy Chair for the 探花合集.
The State of Michigan has removed prior authorizations for medications to treat SUDs and updated rules governing SUD treatment programs. Dr. Poland is the chair of the Michigan Opioid Advisory Commission, established as the designated state entity to advise the Michigan legislature on the appropriate use of opioid settlement funds in compliance with the requirements of the national opioid settlements.
Dr. Poland also serves ASAM as the Continuing Education Chair. Finally, Dr. Poland dedicates her professional work to the memory of her brother, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a complication of his alcohol use disorder.