Learning Webinar Series
Building Understanding around Substance Use
This installment of Unshame NC’s 3-part Learning Together series explores substance use through a compassionate and educational lens.
In this session, Dr. Shuchin Shukla breaks down why people use substances, the risk factors that can contribute to the progression of substance use disorder (SUD), and how substance use affects the brain. He presents the science in approachable, foundational building blocks, making complex topics easier to understand.
Whether you’re new to this topic or looking to deepen your understanding, this session is designed for anyone who wants to better understand substance use and the people behind the experiences.
Learning Together is an educational series that provides broader context around substance use and shares practical knowledge and tools that support healthier, stronger communities.
The Gold Standard for Treatment
Session 2 of Unshame NC's 3-part Learning Together series takes a deeper look at evidence-based treatment for substance use disorder (SUD).
In this webinar, Dr. Shuchin Shukla walks through the medications used to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) — including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone — explaining how they work, why they're effective, and how providers and patients make treatment decisions together. He also addresses the heightened risks people face post-incarceration and the critical role that community and peer support play in sustained recovery.
Whether you're a person in recovery, a provider, a family member, or simply someone who wants to understand what effective treatment really looks like, this session breaks down the science and the humanity behind the gold standard for care.
Learning Together is an educational series that provides a broader context around substance use and shares practical knowledge and tools that support healthier, stronger communities.
A Community Conversation on MOUD
The third and final educational webinar of Unshame NC's Learning Together series brings together a panel of community voices for an open conversation on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Panelists explore what access to treatment really looks like across North Carolina — including the barriers people face when transitioning out of incarceration, how local jails and state prisons handle MOUD differently, and what it takes to advocate for change at the legislative level. The conversation also touches on the role of faith, community, and natural healing practices in supporting recovery.
Whether you're a provider, an advocate, a person in recovery, or a community member who wants to understand how to push for better access, this session offers honest, grounded perspectives from people working on these issues every day.
Learning Together is an educational series that provides a broader context around substance use and shares practical knowledge and tools that support healthier, stronger communities.
Community Q&A on Substance Use and Recovery
This last installment of Unshame NC's Learning Together series closes out the conversation with the people at the heart of it: members of the Unshame NC Community Impact Committee.
In this community Q&A, panelists Megan, Dane, and Jeff draw on their lived experiences to discuss what it really means to meet people where they are, the role of peer support at every stage of change, and why harm reduction is part of caring for someone's life. The conversation also digs into the power of language — how the words we use can either empower or diminish, and why staying accountable to that is ongoing work for all of us.
Whether you have lived experience, work alongside people in recovery, or are just starting to learn, this session offers honest, grounded voices that don't often get the mic.
Learning Together is an educational series that provides a broader context around substance use and shares practical knowledge and tools that support healthier, stronger communities.