NJ SPF-RX - the purpose of the NJ division of mental health and addiction services' (dmhas) NJ SPF-RX project is to raise community awareness and bring prescription drug abuse prevention activities…

NJ SPF-RX - the purpose of the NJ division of mental health and addiction services' (dmhas) NJ SPF-RX project is to raise community awareness and bring prescription drug abuse prevention activities and education to schools, communities, parents, prescribers, and their patients. The project will also raise awareness about the dangers of sharing medications and work with pharmaceutical and medical communities on the risks of overprescribing to young adults. One of the goals of this project is to build capacity to strategically utilize the NJ prescription monitoring program (njpmp) to inform our prevention strategies by identifying drug misuse trends and individual users who are at a high risk for addiction and potential overdose. Using this insight, NJ can tailor the appropriate marketing, educational, and treatment programs to similar groups of individuals. Furthermore, the project will monitor changes in prescription drug misuse among youth ages 12-17 and adults 18 years of age and older. Prevalence data will be routinely provided through analyses using the real-time dmhas administrative client data system known as the new jersey substance abuse monitoring system (njsams). Dmhas will use njpmp data and other epidemiological data, to provide training for the its regional prevention coalitions on how to use these data to inform their prevention strategies and evaluate the outcomes of their work. The regional prevention coalitions will implement the NJ SPF-RX project by delivering community-based education regarding the consequences of prescription drug misuse. The coalitions collaborate with the medical community, law enforcement, and county government to tailor messages that are targeted to the various communities in their region or county. A priority will be programming focusing on young athletes, since literature suggests that for adolescent males, participation in sports such as football and wrestling increases the odds of using opioids non-medically. Dmhas will continue to utilize the "tackling opioids through prevention for athletes" (top) toolkit developed for its current SPF RX grant. In addition, NJ SPF-RX project will provide education for health professionals on the latest information and guidance on managing pain and preventing prescription opioid abuse. Dmhas will collaborate with the partnership for a drug-free new jersey for live and webinar-based training for health care providers on evidence-based approaches for managing pain and minimizing risks of medication misuse. The NJ SPF-RX project will serve an estimated 25,000 individuals annually, with a total of 125,000 over the five-year grant period.