Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Coronavirus Crisis Opens Access To Online Opioid Addiction Treatment

    Addiction experts have been offering online counseling for addiction patients for years but have also been working to change a federal law that required patients seeking medications to help with withdrawals to first make an in-person appointment. The coronavirus pandemic has now expedited that change, and with the regulation lifted, doctors are able to offer medication-assisted treatment via online appointments in addition to the counseling.

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  • Portugal's answer to the heroin crisis Audio icon

    When faced with an opioid crisis, the government in Portugual made a drastic decision to decriminalize drug use. This shift in policy allowed for a shift in perspective – addiction problems could now be treated as a public health issue, rather than a criminal issue. This approach resulted in a significant decrease in overdoses, and is now a model that U.S. cities, such as Philadelphia, are looking at to learn from.

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  • Revive: A fatal overdose, a stunning coincidence, and a mother's long quest to heal.

    A mother's grief and a doctor's determination led to the first syringe-exchange center in Florida – a significant first step in increasing conversation around the merits of harm reduction policies. Since opening, the center has "collected 360,000 dirty syringes, provided medical treatment to 1,200 people, and helped 200 patients detox," while also reversing 1,450 overdoses, which has prompted five other counties to lift their syringe-exchange bans.

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  • Teaching Children How to Reverse an Overdose

    In Carter County, Tennessee, where an opioid crisis is underway, elementary-aged children and teenagers are being taught how to administer the overdose reversal nasal spray, Narcan. Although this strategy has faced opposition from some local residents, at least 100 students have administered the life-saving treatment.

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  • Welcome to Ellenville: How a Rural New York Village Became a Model for Opioid Administration

    Rather than prescribing opioids for pain treatment, an Ellenville Regional Hospital program treats emergency room patients with chronic pain using non-opioid treatments and offers referrals to local behavioral health services to address the issue of opioid addiction and overdoses.

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  • Weaponizing Truth Against Opioids

    Ad campaigns that provide personal testimonials, relatable narratives, and captivating images succeed in stemming epidemics of addiction among teenagers. The Truth Initiative’s anti-smoking campaign has helped to dramatically reduce teenage smoking during recent decades by creating ads that targeted teens with compelling messages. Now, the Truth Initiative is including anti-opioid messaging in its campaign.

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  • Reaching Pregnant People with Addictions

    Building trust with a recovery coach can reduce the shame and stigma surrounding addiction during pregnancy. In Madison, Wisconsin, the Pregnancy2Recovery program pairs expecting mothers who are struggling with addiction with coaches. The coaches, who are also recovering addicts, build rapport with their mentees, helping them navigate aspects of both recovery and pregnancy.

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  • Biometric opioid dispensing machine first of its kind to address demand for safer drug supply

    In the face of an overdosing crisis, a physician in Vancouver created an ATM-like machine that allows people to pick up pharmaceutical-grade opioids to reduce the chances of people using contaminated drugs. Although this methodology is not a means of addiction treatment, it does eliminate an autonomy barrier for safe injections, requires an initial assessment by a physician, and limits the amount of pills one can request per day which means fewer overdoses.

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  • ‘Like A Flu Shot' For Addiction Crisis: Training High School Students As Recovery Coaches

    A town in West Virginia was lacking resources for mental health care, so high school juniors were tapped to fill the need. Learning skills such as how to use naloxone to in an overdose situation to asking open-ended questions to intervene in a crisis, the students walked away from a “life & recovery coach academy” equipped with usable skills, college credits, and a certificate, while also reentering their community as more engaged citizens.

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  • In Appalachia, Crafting a Road to Recovery With Dulcimer Strings

    To help those struggling with opioid addictions, an apprentice program in Kentucky uses art and music taught by local artisans to provide participants with a path forward. After learning various skills as part of the program, a local instrument company also considers the new apprentices for hire as part of a “recovery-friendly” employment movement.

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