Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
The misuse of opioid medications has been a significant public health concern in many states including Arkansas (AR). Per the Arkansas Department of Health, AR has experienced a 50% increase in deaths from opioid overdose from the years 2018 to 2021. Arkansans urgently need access to lifesaving medications to prevent death from opioid overdose. Naloxone is a lifesaving medication that can reverse symptoms of respiratory depression during an opioid overdose to help prevent death. The proposed project will create the UAMS Arkansas Naloxone Education (ANET) program, which is a train-the-trainers program to provide naloxone education training to AR healthcare providers. Trainer education will include information on the administration of naloxone, patient counseling for naloxone use, additional harm reduction resources, and available options for local treatment for those struggling with misuse of opioids. After completing training, trainers will then deliver naloxone education to their respective communities using information and resources provided by the UAMS ANET program. The trainers will target AR populations likely to benefit from increased knowledge and access to naloxone including individuals who are at high risk of opioid overdose, such as people who struggle with misuse of opioids, and those who may be more vulnerable to accidental opioid poisonings, such as adolescents and older adults taking opioids acutely or chronically. In addition to the primary target populations, this project will work with Arkansans acquainted with someone at high risk for opioid overdose. This includes friends or family members of those who may be struggling with misuse of opioids, or who have a medical reason to use opioids chronically. The single overarching goal of this project is to increase access to naloxone including knowledge of how to administer this life-saving medication for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose to prevent death. During each year of funding, the UAMS ANET Program will aim to train 25 new naloxone education trainers. With the recruitment of 25 new trainers per year across the five-year project period, a total of 125 trainers will be trained through this project. Each naloxone trainer will be expected to deliver two community-based naloxone education classes per year, utilizing a 60-minute training module that will be prepared by the UAMS ANET Program team. Trainers will receive class materials and naloxone kits to deliver to class participants, and gift card incentive from the UAMS ANET Program. Trainers will be encouraged to train at least 10 or more individuals during each class, resulting in a total of 7,500 Arkansans receiving naloxone education across the five-year project period. During these community-based naloxone education classes, information will be shared about local centers and healthcare providers that manage treatment for people diagnosed with opioid use disorder. Multiple healthcare organizations in AR have committed to help with the implementation of the UAMS ANET Program. Collaborations have committed to providing additional naloxone kits and resources for community-based classes, recruiting trainers for the program, and developing helpful resources to be included in the training curriculum. We strongly believe that the UAMS ANET Program will help decrease opioid overdose deaths and improve patient outcomes in AR.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
