Ophelia’s Post

The size, complexity, and therefore pace of our government is not keeping up with the evolving dynamics of the opioid crisis. From speaking with many government agencies and policy makers, I know it isn't for lack of positive intent. Collectively, we need to do more, to clear the path for innovative and effective solutions like Ophelia to expand access and save lives. If you are in a position to influence policy and looking to make a difference in the opioid epidemic, I'd love to talk to you.

The opioid crisis, with the emergence of fentanyl, has brought unprecedented devastation, necessitating urgent, comprehensive solutions to mend the fabric of America's communities. #OpioidCrisis #FentanylAwareness #OverdosePrevention #HealthcareStrain #EconomicImpact #LawEnforcementChallenges #AddictionRecovery #CommunitySupport https://lnkd.in/g-5fHrqB

The opioid crisis continues to ravage communities across the U.S., claiming tens of thousands of lives annually. Yet, amidst this devastating reality, practical solutions like methadone and buprenorphine are being obstructed at every turn, perpetuating needless suffering and loss. STAT's yearlong investigation reveals a systemic failure to prioritize medication-assisted treatment, leaving countless individuals without access to life-saving support. Do you have an idea to increase access to these life-saving medications? Come learn how to bring this to fruition through the I4SUD program - https://lnkd.in/e9pn8AjN #EndTheStigma #OpioidCrisis #MedicationAssistedTreatment https://lnkd.in/ecNNxXJE

Valuable info, such a great resource.

The unprecedented overdose crisis we are experiencing in the United States has made conversations about a #publichealth harm reduction approach more urgent than ever. Yet essential and effective harm reduction interventions are sorely needed, Dr. Sheila Vakharia argues in her new book, The Harm Reduction Gap. Vakharia pulls from her vast experience, which led her to see a fundamental gap in the continuum of care for people who use drugs. Vital Strategies spoke with Vakharia about what she hopes to accomplish with her book, some misconceptions about #harmreduction and how we can help end the overdose crisis. https://lnkd.in/eRGmX54S

Appreciate the opportunity to chat with Vital Strategies about my book, "The Harm Reduction Gap," and what it means in this current moment. Check out the Q&A on their website and be sure to order your own copy!

"A yearlong investigation by STAT shows that virtually every sector of American society is obstructing the use of medications that could prevent tens of thousands of deaths each year. Increasingly, public health experts and even government officials cast the country’s singular failure to prevent overdose deaths not as an unavoidable tragedy but as a conscious choice." This article provides an excellent look into the systems and biases that keep people from accessing methadone and buprenorphine treatments that could save their lives. If you want to understand more about the U.S. opioid epidemic and the barriers to recovery that people with Opioid Use Disorder face every day, make sure to give it a read: https://lnkd.in/ecNNxXJE

The opioid crisis has escalated into one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time. In 2022 there were more than 109,000 overdose deaths, which translates to nearly 300 people dying per day. At the heart of this crisis is fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. As the DEA marks today as Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, we must understand fentanyl's impact and explore strategies to prevent its misuse and its devastating consequences. Read more about it on our blog: https://hubs.ly/Q02LK1dD0

We are proud to highlight a recent news segment featuring Dr. Christine Cauffield from LSF HEALTH SYSTEMS, discussing a significant milestone in public health. For the first time in five years, CDC records show a decline in opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. 🇺🇸 Dr. Cauffield highlighted that this amazing progress is thanks to better access to addiction medication like NARCAN and increased investment in resources from both state and federal governments. Check out the full segment below to learn more! ⤵️ #PublicRelations #MediaRelations

Great write-up on how the U.S. attacks the best weapon we have against opioid deaths -- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). I saw this weekly in my previous role at Groups Recover Together; all too often we had to fight to be able to open an office in an area with extremely high unmet need due to the stigma around buprenorphine -- and sometimes we were fully prevented from opening an office (Madison IN, Mesa AZ, and Middlesboro KY are three examples of extremely high need towns we couldn't open due to stigma / local laws barring us). Highly recommend everyone reads this article -- whether you know it or not, OUD is likely impacting someone in your life, and doing more to change the policies is one of the most important things we can do: "I estimate that we would have at least 50% less people dying, and that’s conservative. I think it would probably be much more consequential.” Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse Write to your legislative representatives and support / follow organizations doing what they can to help turn the tide -- organizations I know, love and trust include Shatterproof, Groups Recover Together, and Affect Therapeutics. Together we can turn the tide of this epidemic, and increase access to prevention and treatment resources for everyone who needs them.