Unlike other chronic diseases, substance use disorders (SUD) are often seen as a moral failing. This stigma deeply impacts everyone including individuals, families, and communities. It also presents major barriers to ensure access to life-saving overdose prevention services and treatment. On December 11, 2024 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm PT, we heard from Leslie Alfaro, the National Stigma Initiative Program Manager at Shatterproof. Leslie the real-world impact of stigma through data findings from Shatterproof’s recent nationwide survey on addiction stigma, the largest survey on attitudes towards SUD. Participants also learned practical steps they can take to help identify and combat stigma in their organizations and communities. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact and produced by Dialogue4Health.

The California Overdose Prevention Network (COPN), based at the PHI Center for Health Leadership and Impact (CHLI), is pleased to release a funding opportunity for local overdose prevention coalitions to reduce overdose deaths from illicitly manufactured fentanyl and other drugs through implementation of overdose prevention, treatment and harm reduction strategies. Multi-sector coalitions are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to fortify and sustain strategies that are responsive to local needs in their community and/or region. Please join us on October 22 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm PT to learn more about the funding opportunity. Applications open following the information session on October 22, 2024.

PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact is pleased to announce our upcoming COPN Accelerator 6.0 cohort program for local multi-sector teams and coalitions. Accelerator 6.0 is designed to help your coalition develop a customized messaging plan for your community. The program is structured to support your coalition’s efforts in overdose prevention, strengthen partnerships, build buy-in from local stakeholders, continue innovative interventions, achieve your coalition goals, and manage pushback locally. Join our information session on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm PT to learn more about the program and application process. We will include a live Q&A session to address any questions about the program and application process. Applications will open after the event.

In this Web Forum, ChangeLab Solutions will introduce two essential policy guides: one offering 11 evidence-based strategies at the state, local, and institutional levels, and the other created in partnership with the Network for Public Health Law providing guidance on the policymaking process for effective and equitable implementation. Participants will discover how these resources can support their work to advance policy changes that address community needs. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network and produced by Dialogue4Health.

Join us on Tuesday, July 23 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm PT for a conversation with Arlene Brown, member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe and creator of the National Harm Reduction Coalition’s new Native Harm Reduction Toolkit. This toolkit was developed to empower Native communities, recognizing the need for Indigenized and decolonized approaches to public health overdose prevention interventions. This web forum will provide an overview of the toolkit, featured resources, and case examples of how it can be put into practice. We will also include interactive polling features for you to engage with the speaker and ask questions. Register today, and please spread the word with Native and Indigenous partners in your community. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact and produced by Dialogue4Health. 

How do we translate policy into action to save lives? Join us for this free virtual event to hear from experts in California on recent and forecasted policy and legislation related to overdose prevention, substance use treatment, and harm reduction. Local leaders will also share examples of how they have passed policy at the local level, and participants will have the opportunity for peer discussion and exchange on how to translate policy into practice. Don't miss out and register today!

Advocates nationwide face unique challenges in communicating about overdose prevention. For example, it can be difficult to tailor messages to specific audiences when the strategies to address overdose issues may vary widely between preventing addiction from starting, addiction management and treatment, and/or avoiding overdose fatalities. In addition, it can be difficult to identify and train trusted messengers who can provide a local perspective and be prepared to answer tough questions unique to rural communities.

To support advocates nationwide to communicate more effectively on their harm reduction strategies, BMSG will share messaging guidelines that draw on findings from a recent review of overdose prevention materials in contexts nationwide. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact, and produced by Dialogue4Health.

Rural communities in California face unique challenges in communicating about overdose prevention. For example, it can be difficult to tailor messages to specific audiences when, in many rural communities, one person or group may play many roles. In addition, it can be difficult to identify and train trusted messengers who can provide a local perspective and be prepared to answer tough questions unique to rural communities.

To support rural stakeholders to communicate more effectively, Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG) shared messaging guidelines that draw on findings from a recent news analysis and learnings about framing overdose prevention in rural contexts nationwide. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact, and produced by Dialogue4Health.

Millions of Americans use stimulants, which contirubted to more than 30% of overdoses in 2021. Join us for an insightful event where we will be discussing the intricacies of contingency management and exploring its nationwide implementation and seamless integration with other Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) strategies. We will provide valuable insights and foster a deeper understanding of this impactful approach in the realm of addiction treatment. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact and produced by Dialogue4Health.

Vast inequities persist in the field of overdose prevention, with overdose rates climbing among communities of color who face lower access to treatment and harm reduction services. What can we do to help turn the tide and build an equity agenda in our communities? Join us for a two-part virtual event to learn about the systems, policies and practices that contribute to inequities, and steps you can take to drive change. The first hour will include an engaging presentation followed by Q&A to surface the most pressing barriers participants face towards embedding equity in their work. The final 30 minutes will be interactive, with participants answering a series of reflection questions to identify practical steps they can take in their organizations and communities moving forward.

Spread the word and register today!

Policy change is critical to sustaining our most effective overdose prevention strategies. Several significant policies were recently enacted in California that can help bolster your local work. Join us on Tuesday, February 27 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm PT to hear from our partners at the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) on the current policy landscape for overdose prevention and treatment in California. The presenter will highlight evidence-based legislation enacted in California from their recent report, 2023 State of the States: Legislative Roadmap for Reducing Overdose Deaths and Increasing Access to Treatment. Spread the word and register today!

The most recent National Overdose Prevention Leadership Summit focused on ideas and trends in overdose prevention. In this web forum we will cover some of the highlights from the summit and discuss what's to come in the year ahead. Join us for an insightful conversation where we'll explore the top five forward-looking trends in the fields of prevention, harm reduction, legislation, and treatment, including the surge of Xylazine and Stimulants. This event promises a glimpse into groundbreaking concepts and cutting-edge advancements that are set to shape the landscape in 2024.

Join us as we reflect on a strong year of commitment to overdose prevention and community well-being. This webinar will showcase highlights from our 2023 NOPN webinar series, from strategies to engage faith-based partners in harm reduction to what you need to know about Xylazine. We will provide a recap of the major themes we explored as a learning community over the past year, and celebrate our collective resilience, compassion, and ongoing fight to save lives. This webinar is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact and produced by Dialogue4Health.

Join us for the Fall 2023 COPN Convening on Wednesday, November 8 from 11am-1pm. During this free, virtual event we will hear from programs and coalitions across California on how they are working with youth to prevent overdose, provide connections to treatment, and promote harm reduction. Don't miss out!

Xylazine, also known as “tranq”, is a growing concern in our drug supply, and increases the risk of overdose when combined with fentanyl. To be effective in our response, it's crucial to grasp the relevant data and explore actionable steps. Join our webinar in collaboration with the American College of Medical Toxicology to learn about their surveillance data and valuable insights on fentanyl and xylazine. Please help spread the word and register today. This Web Forum is sponsored by the National Overdose Prevention Network, a program of PHI Center for Health Leadership & Impact and produced by Dialogue4Health.

Are you new to the world of overdose prevention or want to support those who are new to this work? This webinar will highlight our latest resource, an Overdose Prevention 101 guide. This interactive online guide provides an overview of the core areas of overdose prevention, from how to build a strong coalition to key evidence-based strategies. It also includes key tools and resources you can use to build an effective local prevention strategy. The webinar we will include an overview of this new resource and examples of how you can put it into practice. We will also introduce the rural companion guide that includes local case studies and tools specific to those working in a rural communities. Spread the word and register today!

The work we do in overdose prevention has always been difficult, but added stressors brought on by the pandemic, natural disasters, and systemic racism have caused unprecedented levels of toxic stress and burnout. We will hear from Jasmine Nakagawa-Wong, a certified trainer in Mental Health First Aid on the seven types of rest you can implement to manage stress and burnout. Join us and register today!

Over the past six years, the National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC) has partnered with Faith in Harm Reduction (FIHR) to provide support and resources for those who use drugs connected through communities of faith. Now, the FIHR is striking out on its own as an independent nonprofit. Join us on Tuesday, August 22 from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PT to hear from Reverend Erica Poellot and Hill Brown about how you can incorporate strategic partnerships with faith-based organizations into your overdose prevention work.

The PHI Center for Health Leadership and Impact is pleased to announce our upcoming COPN Accelerator 5.0 program for local, multi-sector teams. This year’s cohort will focus on sustainability in overdose prevention. The program is designed to help California communities embed sustainability principles and practices to strengthen their response to fentanyl and other drugs. Eligible applicants include formal and informal teams, collaboratives, or coalitions interested in substance use and/or overdose including those focused on youth, harm reduction, and/or overdose prevention.

Join our information session on Wednesday, August 9, 2022 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM PT to learn more about the program and application process. We will include a live Q&A session to address any questions about the program and application process. Applications will open after the event. Spread the word and register today!

This webinar will be a continuation of our youth-focused overdose prevention series. Speakers will discuss how to partner with colleges and universities to reach college-aged youth, and how California State Universities (CSUs) are implementing SB 367, new legislation in California that requires CSUs and community colleges to provide naloxone education and access on campus. We will also feature a speaker from Young People in Recovery who will describe what recovery can look like for young adults.

Last year the national 988 Crisis Lifeline was introduced. Instead of calling 911, people are now able to dial 988 to connect directly to a crisis counselor. Since its introduction, the 988 hotline has expanded and changed. This webinar will focus on the rollout of 988, how to align it with your work in substance use, and how to educate your community as an outreach strategy for overdose prevention.

Despite its prevalence, substance use among LGBTQ+ communities is often wrongfully left out of larger conversations about the overdose crisis. In this webinar, we will focus on strategies specific to these communities. Join us on Wednesday, June 28 from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PT to hear panelists discuss how to best go about overdose prevention, harm reduction, and outreach with LGBTQ+ populations. They will also address opportunities for partnership with local organizations serving the LGBTQ+ community and on-the-ground examples of programs in action.

It is estimated that California will receive approximately $2.05 billion from the California opioid settlement agreements over the next 18 years. Do you want a better understanding of how these funds will be utilized in California? Join us for an informative webinar presented by our partners at the California Department of Health Care Services and Aurrera Health Group. The webinar will provide an overview of how settlement funds are being distributed across the state, guidelines for their use on high-impact interventions, and ways you can connect with leaders in your community on local investment of funds. Come with your questions!

Data can help power local-level work to combat overdose. With data, we can raise awareness, tailor interventions, encourage policy support, and gain vital intelligence on the nature of the local overdose problem. The Spring 2023 COPN Convening will be a data summit on ways you can harness data to help achieve your aims.

The COPN Data Summit will feature key data sources and platforms needed for local decision-making; success stories from communities across California who will share how they’re leveraging data; a conversation about equity considerations with overdose data; and small-group breakout discussions on creating your own community surveys, forming strong and sustainable data partnerships, and ideas for new data systems to strengthen overdose prevention activities in California.

The COPN Data Summit promises to be a lively exchange of ideas for how we can all better marshal data to support our local work to combat overdose.

Join us for the second session of our COPN webinar series on youth overdose prevention. This session will focus on opportunities for substance use prevention, treatment and harm reduction with teens and adolescents.

Participants will hear from leaders of the California Youth Opioid Response (YOR California) who will provide an overview of the current landscape of prevention, treatment and recovery services for teens. The session will also feature on-the-ground strategies, policies and practices being used in Marin County including a youth prevention and harm reduction curriculum and Narcan distribution in schools. Finally, a representative from the Youth Peer Mentor Program (YPMP) will talk about prevention and treatment groups for transitional age youth in and out of custody. Participants will come away with tactical opportunities for local coalitions and other leaders in overdose prevention to partner with schools, community partners, and youth themselves. Spread the word and register today!

The recent elimination of the X-Waiver, a burdensome requirement for clinicians to prescribe addiction treatment, is gone ... what’s next? Dr. Roneet Lev, an emergency and addiction physician who served as the first Chief Medical Officer of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy joined us for a conversation breaking down the new legislative move, what it means for providers, and steps you can take to get more clinicians to prescribe addiction treatment in your community.

There are currently 65 syringe services programs (SSPs) operating in 33 counties across California that collectively serve more than 100,000 people each year. Join us on Wednesday, April 12 for a webinar that will showcase the important work of California’s syringe services programs and opportunities for you to build strong partnerships with local harm reduction leaders. Our speaker, Loris Mattox, from the California Department of Public Health will outline the work and impact of these key programs and ways to effectively partner with local harm reduction programs to reach people who use drugs.

Many successful programs are underway in California to expand access to addiction treatment. Join us for the first webinar in our series where we will talk about CA Bridge, an innovative program that provides training, technical assistance, and coaching to hospitals to treat substance use disorder like any other life-threatening condition. We will hear from Sherrie Cisneros, the Navigator Program Director for CA Bridge who will discuss the program model, its impact to date, and opportunities for local partners to collaborate with Substance Use Navigators (SUNs) in Bridge hospitals. Spread the word and register today!

The work we do in overdose prevention has always been difficult, but added stressors brought on by the pandemic, natural disasters, and systemic racism have caused unprecedented levels of toxic stress and burnout. Join us on Tuesday, February 28 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm PT to learn about strategies to address burnout within yourself. We will hear from Brooke Briggance, a certified trainer in Mental Health First Aid on the seven types of rest you can implement to manage stress and burnout. Spread the word and register today!

Many people use fentanyl, whether by choice or by accident. With overdose-related deaths continuing to rise, how do we keep people safe? This second session in our webinar series on fentanyl will focus on harm reduction strategies and options for people who use fentanyl. We will hear from a harm reduction specialist on key strategies and opportunities to center people who use drugs and save lives.