PDO-NJ - the goal of the NJ division of mental health and addiction services' (dmhas) PDO-NJ initiative is to reduce the number of prescription drug/opioid overdose-related deaths and adverse events…

PDO-NJ - the goal of the NJ division of mental health and addiction services' (dmhas) PDO-NJ initiative is to reduce the number of prescription drug/opioid overdose-related deaths and adverse events among individuals 18 years of age and older by training first responders and other key community sectors on the prevention of prescription drug/opioid overdose-related deaths and implementing secondary prevention strategies, including the purchase and distribution of naloxone to first responders and other target groups. Dmhas in partnership with rutgers university, robert wood johnson medical school (rwjms) will implement a training program for individuals who use opioids, their families and significant individuals on how to recognize and respond to an overdose with the use of naloxone and rescue breathing. NJ-PDO training will include referral and care management procedures to connect individuals, their families and loved ones to treatment and recovery support services. The project will also help to advance the use of best opioid prescribing practices among health care providers. Although dmhas has developed a number of treatment and prevention initiatives to reduce opioid-related deaths, including the opioid overdose prevention network funded by samhsa's PDO grant, NJ ranks 8TH in the nation in overdose deaths (CDC wonder). Dmhas' administrative data system indicates that few persons who undergo a naloxone reversal access treatment. This project will serve as a conduit to increased access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. All PDO-NJ training attendees will be provided with: information on referral to treatment, the website link to the dmhas treatment directory, the interim managing entity's (IME) toll free number and information on dmhas' recovery support services. Dmhas' IME operated by rutgers university behavioral health care will serve as a coordinated point of entry/no wrong door for individuals served by this project who seek SUD treatment. Training will be targeted to first responders, high need areas identified by the PDO-NJ initiative, and other target groups including: agencies and organizations working with justice involved populations and offender RE-entry programs; healthcare professionals; pharmacists; syringe access programs; community health centers; women's SUD providers; the opioid overdose recovery program that serves high risk individuals who have undergone a naloxone reversal; colleges; and outreach to the national guard, military bases and construction trades in adopting opioid overdose response programs as part of their standard workplace safety protocols. Trainings will include virtual, in-person when permitted, webinars and development of on-line training materials. Using a combination of in-person and virtual training, PDO-NJ will train an estimated 3,600 individuals annually, with a total of 18,000 over the five-year grant period.