Integrated Community Approaches to Overdose Prevention and Substance Use Health

Name: Integrated Community Approaches to Overdose Prevention and Substance Use Health
Price: 49 USD
Availability: InStock

Technician Advanced Training Microcredentials | Opioids | Patient Safety Written 4 credit hours

This 4-hour application-based training prepares pharmacy technicians to support overdose prevention, substance use health, and infectious disease prevention through evidence-based, community-centered care strategies.

Designed as a microcredential program, this course provides practical implementation tools and awards a digital badge upon successful completion.

The program explores the expanding role of pharmacy technicians in supporting overdose response, harm reduction services, patient engagement, and care coordination across pharmacy and community settings.

Course content includes:

Evidence-based overdose prevention and risk mitigation strategies
Naloxone access, education, and workflow support strategies
Overview of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)
Strategies to support treatment engagement and reduce barriers to care
Harm reduction tools, including fentanyl test strips and safer-use education
Prevention and management considerations for HIV, Hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections
Community engagement and outreach strategies for high-risk populations
Approaches to reducing stigma and supporting compassionate patient communication

Technicians will also develop practical skills in supporting patient access to prevention resources, assisting with community health initiatives, and recognizing situations requiring pharmacist involvement.

This training emphasizes practical application and collaborative care strategies that support safer communities and expand the role of pharmacy technicians in public health services.

The program is also designed to help pharmacy technicians build specialized knowledge, support expanding patient care services, and prepare for professional growth within evolving pharmacy practice models.

Earn your microcredential and strengthen your role in community-based patient care and overdose prevention services – enroll today.

Claim Your Badge

You will receive an email from Credly (our credential partner), after you complete the course, inviting you to claim your digital badge for Overdose Prevention & Substance Use Disorder - Technicians. This will allow you to easily share your achievement with colleagues, managers, and your professional network on LinkedIn and other platforms. When you receive the email, please click the button and create an account on Credly.com so that you can “accept” the badge.

Need help? Find a step-by-step tutorial video at this link.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this application-based CPE course, pharmacy technicians should be able to:
1. Define evidence-based overdose risk mitigation strategies and differentiate them from abstinence-based approaches.
2. Describe the role of CHWs in supporting overdose risk mitigation strategies both in the pharmacy and during patient home visits.
3. Demonstrate how stigma and language impact care delivery and patient engagement.
4. Recognize the signs of opioid overdose and outline steps for emergency response.
5. Describe naloxone formulations, administration, and post-overdose support strategies.
6. Perform CHW-specific roles related to ordering, stocking, demonstrating use, and education of naloxone.
7. Identify evidence-based overdose prevention tools (e.g., fentanyl test strips, safer drug use kits) and their role in patient safety.
8. Describe community engagement strategies for reaching high-risk populations.
9. Implement local overdose-prevention and risk-mitigation strategies.
10. Describe how MOUD works, including buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone.
11 Identify the clinical value of MOUD in reducing opioid-related harm and fatalities.
12. Demonstrate how MOUD reduces overdose risk and supports treatment retention.
13. Describe the role of CHWs in dispensing, counseling, and follow-up support for patients on MOUD.
14. Identify pharmacist-specific activities (e.g., administering naltrexone) and how CHWs can assist with them.
15. Respond to signs of underdosing or treatment disengagement and support patients accordingly.
16. Recognize the unique needs of special populations on MOUD.
17. Explain strategies for improving access to MOUD in rural vs. urban settings.
18. Develop strategies to overcome barriers and support patients in underserved communities.
19. Describe how hepatitis C is transmitted and why reinfection is a high risk for people who inject drugs.
20. Explain the framework of hepatitis C testing, treatment, and curative options.
21. Execute strategies to identify coverage and access pathways for hepatitis C treatment.
22. Summarize key tools for HIV and STI prevention, including PrEP, PEP, testing, and vaccination.
23. Describe how CHWs can support prevention efforts both in pharmacies and in homes.
24. Utilize region-specific HIV data to better understand local prevention priorities.
25. Explain how drug use and sexual health risks are interrelated in vulnerable populations.
26. Identify the CHW’s role in mitigating infection risk through education and care coordination.
27. Recommend appropriate testing and prevention resources within local communities.