Pandemic

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.

The opioid epidemic is a result of a complex system of varied and interrelated factors. This webinar will introduce a systems thinking approach and tools to address complex public health challenges. The webinar will provide an overview of systems tools and describe opportunities to develop systems further thinking capacity for application to grantees’ local opioid response.

This webinar will provide an overview of COVID-19 impacts and vaccination attitudes among SUD populations in Vermont including people who use drugs, patients receiving MAT, and people in recovery. It will outline the methods undertaken to conduct a community-based survey. It will discuss the barriers and opportunities that arose from analysis of the survey and a subsequent consortium workshop.

Recovery Housing, Medications for OUD (MOUD), and Emerging Issues Presenters will explain recovery housing and MOUD in the context of issues emerging in rural America resulting from the pandemic and its impact on the rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and drug overdose. They will discuss the impact of the pandemic on the correctional system and state actions in response to COVID-19 as it affects those with SUD. They will also give an overview of how recovery housing can be developed, especially in rural areas.

The opioid epidemic is the result of a complex system of varied and interrelated factors. This webinar introduced a systems thinking approach and tools to address such complex public health challenges. The Georgia Health Policy Center’s Opioid Systems Map was presented as a case study for the creation and application of systems mapping in local communities. The webinar fostered a holistic view of the opioid epidemic and described opportunities to further develop systems thinking capacity for application to grantees’ local opioid response.