Prevention

During this session, we discussed what meaningful inclusion is (and is not) and we offered tangible steps toward developing trust, dignity, and inclusion of PWUDs. Meeting people where they are requires an element of internal self-reflection and honesty, both personally and within the organization.

Advancing health equity involves ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This also applies to behavioral health. In conjunction with quality services, this involves addressing social determinants, such as employment and housing stability, insurance status, proximity to services, culturally responsive care – all of which have an impact on behavioral health outcomes.

The first part of this presentation examined and presented medical/physiological aspects of SUD and an overview of the impact of SUD on a small but vulnerable population. Dr. Parker then provided an overview of recent substance abuse prevention and intervention applications within American Indian and Alaska Native communities. She described the trends regarding opioid overdose among American Indian and Alaska Native communities during the global pandemic and discussed opportunities for addressing opioid overdose prevention in the future.

Whether an opioid overdose death is unintentional or intentional (i.e., suicide), it can be difficult to disentangle. The suffering and hopelessness associated with addiction often lead to indifference to living or dying and to extreme risk taking. In this presentation, examples were described and presented from an opioid-specific suicide prevention training module that is part of the SafeSide Prevention learning program

During this session, Dr. Lopata discussed federal/HRSA investments focused on improving the health outcomes for and reducing health disparities among maternal and child health populations. More specifically, Dr. Lopata discussed the multiple programs/interventions funded by HRSA that together work (along with federal, state, regional, and local partners) to improve the prevention, screening, and treatment of opioid use disorder during pregnancy and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in the United States.

The opioid settlement is a significant opportunity to improve substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. By attending to the evidence base and leveraging other funding sources, we can transform our behavioral health system to work better for people with substance use disorder. The Steadman Group related their experience in facilitating opioid settlement governance so you can optimize your settlement spending!

CDC’s Division of Overdose Prevention has developed an interactive data visualization tool, the DOSE Dashboard, which displays current nonfatal overdose data. The nonfatal drug overdose data on this dashboard are from CDC’s Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology (DOSE) system, which captures electronic health record information in syndromic surveillance data systems. DOSE data can be used to compare monthly and annual trends in nonfatal drug overdose-related ED visits by drug type (i.e., all drugs, all opioids, heroin, and all stimulants), state, and sex and age group.

Data supporting the positive outcomes associated with peer support integration throughout the substance use disorder continuum of intervention and care has led nationally to systems integrating members of this relatively new workforce into their teams. Among most peer certifying authorities, sustained recovery from substance use disorder is one of the requirements to become a peer. Although substance use recurrence or “relapse” is not common among those in sustained recovery, it does happen. This webinar will introduce suggested considerations when attempting to draft model recurrence policy for peer support employers.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded Opioid Response Network (ORN) initiative has launched the Stand Against Stigma (SAS) Challenge. This is an opportunity for those in the healthcare industry to address and dispel stigma related to individuals with substance use disorders through easy, daily activity.

Since 1999, an estimated 841,000 people in the U.S. have died from a drug overdose. Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly exacerbated the overdose crisis resulting in a 30% increase in 2020 compared to 2019. The majority of overdose deaths in the U.S. involve opioids, including nearly 71% of all overdose deaths in 2019.3 Despite high rates of overdose across the nation, overdose and overdose death are preventable. However, people at risk of overdose often face significant challenges accessing treatment and navigating systems of care. Local and state health departments are well-suited to lead and support efforts to prevent and respond to overdose and to link people to evidence-based treatment and services. Peer support services (PSS) are a valuable component of a growing number of overdose response and linkage to care initiatives that can be implemented and supported by local and state health departments.