Translation of Opiate Overdose Prevention Strategies

Prescription opioid overdose represents a public health crisis. A number of efforts have been implemented to address opioid prescribing and opioid risk mitigation strategies for prescribers, but relatively few efforts have sought to address this problem directly with individuals who use opioids. This gap likely fails to fully address the inherent reinforcing nature of the medications that make it challenging to reduce use.

The specific aim of this study is to pilot test a toolkit that pairs an intervention with the distribution of naloxone. External facilitation (supervision check-ins) will aid translation to delivery by non-research staff. Firstly, data will be collected from participants over time as a control group, prior to training site staff. Next, non-research staff will be trained on the intervention. Staff at the site will use the online "toolkit" developed in the beginning of this project to deliver the interventions and naloxone to their clients/patients as part of usual care. After staff at the site(s) are trained, additional data will be collected from participants during the intervention period and after 3-months.