Comprehensive opioid safety initiatives and programming

Drug poisoning or overdose is the number one cause of death among individuals experiencing homelessness in some communities. A robust and high quality opioid safety and overdose prevention initiative involves many strategies implemented or enhanced in different ways. Some communities and organizations have implemented overdose education and Naloxone distribution (OEND) programs for people who may witness an overdose and/or people at risk for overdose. OEND programs educate people to prevent, recognize and respond to an overdose and offer them Naloxone, the antidote to an opioid overdose. Medical providers play a role in opioid safety in the way they prescribe opioid pain reliever medications and prescription medicines that are frequently combined with opioids to enhance effects (eg: benzodiazepines, certain anti-psychotics, etc). Prescribers can also provide buprenorphine for people with an opioid use disorder. The need for Naloxone prescribing and/or distributing is expanding, yet organizations struggle to address hurdles, wasting precious funding and time resources. Similarly, medication assisted treatment (MAT) services are insufficient for people with substance use disorders and experiencing homelessness. This workshop will provide practical support for navigating the interdisciplinary steps in establishing a comprehensive opioid safety initiative, including OEND, integrating overdose risk assessments into regular clinical and non-clinical practice, and the interdisciplinary components of office-based opioid treatment with buprenorphine. We will provide template documents, models implemented across the country, and case studies. We will brainstorm solutions for common hurdles and, in small groups, we will develop organization- or geographic- specific implementation support documents. Attendees should have a working knowledge of the role of MAT in preventing opioid overdoses and enhanced opioid safety, generally. Similarly, conceptual knowledge of overdose education and naloxone access initiatives is expected. The format is lecture, group discussion, small group activities and hands-on practice.