Opioid Threat in the Community

Course Description:

The sudden rise of heroin and prescription opioid deaths, both nationally and throughout the Commonwealth, has presented a unique challenge to local communities. Opioid Threat in the Community, designed for educators, community organizers, and healthcare personnel, focuses on national, statewide, and local trends relating to heroin, prescription opioids, synthetic opioids, and newly emerging drug trends. Opioid Threat in the Community outlines the current opioid epidemic that our nation is currently facing, generating an advanced understanding of how opioids work, how this epidemic has exploded, and what can be done to combat this growing threat.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze the history of opioid usage and how it relates to today’s issues
2. Assesses the currently identified trends in the manufacturing, distribution, and overdose death data on a national and statewide level
3. Understand the pharmacology of prescription opioid medication, heroin, and other synthetic opioid compounds
4. Analyze both the physical and psychological effects of opioids
5. Understand the importance, availability and usage of Naloxone to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose
6. Describe how to recognize an opioid overdose
7. Show the step by step process in responding to an overdose
8. Perform the essential first aid responses and the administration of Naloxone on a training mannequin
9. Summarize and evaluate the latest medications used for opioid use disorders in treatment and prevention programs as well as be able to identify current available resources in the treatment field

Prerequisites: None

Course Length: 1 day / 6 hours

Who May Attend: Educators, Counselors, School Staff Members, Law Enforcement, Corrections, Military, Health Care Professionals and Community Based Organizations

Certifications: N/A