Project FREEDOM: First Responder Expansion of Education and Distribution of Overdose Medication - Project FREEDOM: First Responder Education and Expansion of Drug Overdose Medication is training first responders (firefighters, law enforcement officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, mobile crisis providers, and other organizations that respond to overdose-related incidents), faith-based organizations, high-risk service providers such as those who provide services to individuals who are criminally involved and experiencing housing instability, and other key community sectors - in all of Alabama's 67 counties to prevent opioid overdose-related deaths. The unduplicated training count will be 6,200 in year one and 7,500 annually thereafter for a total of 28,700 individuals, including first responders and members of other community sectors over the five-year project period. Goal 1: Increase access to FDA-approved OORM and reduce the number of adverse opioid related events. (a) by the end of the project period, contribute to a 5% reduction in opioid overdoses in the catchment area; (b) by the end of the project period, contribute to a 5% reduction in opioid overdose deaths in the catchment area; (c) by the end of Year 1, develop and distribute a standardized electronic and printed referral toolkit describing established pathways for connecting individuals with signs or symptoms of opioid misuse to substance use treatment and recovery support services; (d) by the end of the project period, at least 50% of trained first responders who respond to an individual experiencing an opioid overdose reversal will report making a referral to treatment and recovery services; (e) maintain a ≥ 80% success rate in opioid overdose reversals on first responder service runs on confirmed opioid overdose events; and (f) distribute ≥ 5,500 FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medications (OORM) kits for each year of the project. Goal 2: Increase education and awareness about opioid safety, overdose, OORM administration, emerging trends, safety measures for emerging drug trends, prevention strategies, proper prescribing, and substance use treatment services. (a) facilitate ≥ 120 trainings and other educational opportunities in each year of the project; (b) ≥ 75% of training participants will report learning new information/skills; (c) ≥ 75% of training participants will report planning to use the information/skills learned; (d) ≥ 85% of training participants will be able to identify overdose symptoms; (e) ≥ 90% of training participants will report they feel confident to administer OORM during an opioid overdose event; and (f) ≥ 75% of completed observation assessments for training in evidence-based approaches to address opioid overdose will demonstrate fidelity to the model. Goal 3: Increase community awareness of opioid overdose prevention, Good Samaritan Law, and post-overdose referral and recovery support connections through coordinated outreach and engagement activities that strengthen partnerships between first responders, behavioral health providers, and the communities they serve. (a) by the end of Year 1, develop and implement a statewide outreach strategy that disseminates opioid overdose, Good Samaritan Law, and substance use treatment and recovery support services resource information; (b) throughout the project period, project staff and partners will participate in at least 40 community outreach and engagement activities; and (c) throughout the project period, project staff and partners will participate in at least 24 overdose response coalition, advisory board, or community planning meetings.
