RIO arriba county NM will train 48 EMT-first responders in medical and behavioral health aspects of drug overdose emergency responses in order to reduce morbidity and mortality related to opioid…

RIO arriba county NM will train 48 EMT-first responders in medical and behavioral health aspects of drug overdose emergency responses in order to reduce morbidity and mortality related to opioid use. - RIO arriba county fire & emergency services will train 48 new emergency medical technician-first responders (EMT-FR) to serve as volunteer emts in rural communities throughout the county. The training program will include an innovative component focusing on behavioral aspects of drug overdose emergency calls with the goal of improving both short-term and long-term patient outcomes. The program will train EMT-FR students on how to 1) approach drug overdose patients in a culturally competent manner; 2) manage behavioral health crises often associated with overdose events; 3) decrease the likelihood of future overdose events through patient education (including training on the use of naloxone); and 4) use the techniques of motivational interviewing to help move the patient in a positive direction. RIO arriba county (RAC) is rural and medically under-served with high rates of morbidity and mortality related to drug and alcohol use. Most county residents are dependent upon timely competent responses by volunteer emts affiliated with local RAC volunteer fire departments (VFDS) when they call 9-1-1. For these emts, drug overdose responses comprise a significant proportion of their high-acuity calls. Overdose incidents are often part of a more complex behavioral health context that most emts are not optimally trained to manage. Through this project, RIO arriba county will provide full tuition support and travel reimbursements to 48 county residents to complete an accredited EMT-FR course through the university of new mexico - taos. Three courses will be held (16 students each) at three different RAC VFD fire stations. The lead instructor will be DR. Steven jenison, MD EMT-paramedic, a retired public health physician who is chief dixon VFD (RIO arriba county), a volunteer paramedic, and an instructor coordinator with UNM-taos and the UNM EMS academy in albuquerque. The EMS core content component will use an interactive "flipped classroom" strategy and scenario-based learning that will address the needs of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. UNM-taos will provide a 20-hour "academic strategies" program that will work with each student individually to address challenges that they encounter with the material. The standard EMT-FR curriculum of 80 classroom contact hours will be expanded to 96 hours in order to include a curriculum component focused upon both medical and behavioral health skills specific to drug overdose responses. Expertise for developing and teaching the behavioral health curriculum will be provided by the clinical director of the RAC health & human services department, the harm reduction program of the mountain center, and MR. Brian serna (a trainer in motivational interviewing). Emts frequently suffer behavioral health consequences (including post-traumatic stress disorder) themselves as a result of their service. The EMT-FR courses will include training on how emts can effectively address these stresses in their own lives.