Building Strategic Options, Policies, and Responses to Opioid Overdose

Drug overdoses associated with prescription drug misuse have skyrocketed in recent years. In 16 states, drug overdose fatalities are more prevalent than motor vehicle crash fatalities in both urban and rural settings. This session describes the growing problem, and, intervention and policy models at the community, state and national levels including the initiation of naloxone prescription programs by users, care givers, providers and EMT's. The session's goal is to describe best practice options coupled with ensuring cohesive community-state-national options which both balance local, state and Federal policies, best practices, and population trends which maximize doable public health practices and minimize legal and practical state and community barriers. By doing so, the audience will increase its understanding of the problem, and of naloxone as an intervention and the policy option, challenges and lessons learned. The session will be moderated by Ann Mahony. In the first presentation, Nick Reuter will describe prescription drug overdose trends, prevention overdose strategies and potential Federal policy implications of naloxone protocol implementation. In the second presentation, Alex Walley will present Massachusetts' comprehension response to overdose prevention and education via naloxone intervention. Fred Brason will present a rural community's opioid overdose prevention response model. Alice Bell will present as the last speaker on an urban model of naloxone intervention in conjunction with needle exchange. Denise Osborn will serve as the session discussant on select state models and policy challenges and successes.