2024 Overdose Awareness Series

Please register for each day you plan to attend.

Through presentations from our own staff and from external experts, we’ll explore unintentional and intentional factors that can lead to overdose, how to respond to different overdose situations, how to prevent and reduce harm from overdose, and how to access resources and treatment in the state of Washington. Our goal is to open dialogue, de-stigmatize, and ensure everyone is aware of the help available in our communities.

As in past years, the series will be free and held online only. This year, the series will take place every Wednesday in August: August 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th. Please register for every day you plan to attend. All times are in PST. Reach out to Meghan King (mking@wapc.org) with any questions.

In order to receive a Certificate of Attendance, you must fill out a survey for each day you attend. We will post the survey link at the end of every session. Once the series ends on August 28, we will send you one certificate with the number of hours you attended.

View recordings and materials from the 2023 series, 2022 series, and 2021 series.

DAY 1: AUGUST 7

Buprenorphine: A Panel Discussion
Watch the recording
Dr. Buresh’s slides
Dr. Fockele & Dr. Gressman’s slides
Jordan Mohrenne’s slides
This session will start with short presentations from our 4 panelists. Dr. Chris Buresh with UW Medicine/Seattle Children’s will present the 24/7 telebuprenorphine hotline. Dr. Callan Fockele and Dr. Kira Gressman with Harborview Medical Center will discuss efforts in Seattle/King County around field initiation by EMS of buprenorphine. Jordan Mohrenne with South County Fire will discuss similar efforts in Snohomish County. We will then shift to a panel discussion with questions welcomed from attendees.
Panelists

Christopher Buresh MD, MPH, DTM&H, FAAP, FACEP
Dr. Buresh is an emergency medicine physician and pediatrician. He sees patients at Harborview Medical Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. His focus is on optimizing the care of adult and pediatric populations when they have acute time-sensitive injuries or illnesses. He also has an interest in understanding how policies, social structures, and economic factors impact people’s health, how they seek care, and their outcomes.

Callan Fockele, MD
Dr. Fockele is an emergency physician with advanced training in population health research and addiction medicine. She works clinically in the Harborview Medical Center Emergency Department and Healthcare in Housing program. She is dedicated to broadening the addiction services provided to the most vulnerable patients seeking emergency care in our community.

Kira Gressman, MD

Jordan Mohrenne
Jordan Mohrenne is a Community Health Worker with South County Fire with more than 5 years of experience working with dual diagnosis, co-occurring mental health, working with substance abusing families involved with the foster care system, and youth treatment. Jordan has worked across the country and served in roles in both urban and rural areas to address SUD in the community.

Safer Use Supplies for Overdose & Infectious Disease Prevention
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This session will present the array of safer use supplies available in one syringe services program (SSP) and discuss the public health utility behind distributing such supplies. Melissa Cross and Malia Lewis will provide an overview of supply distribution in an SSP setting and discuss how certain supplies may provide opportunities to offer services beyond what the SSP alone has to offer.
Speakers: Malia Lewis, MSW and Melissa Cross, RN

Malia Lewis, MSW
Malia Lewis, MSW is a syringe services program manager and drug checking technician serving Southeastern Washington at Blue Mountain Heart to Heart. They are a rural harm reductionist and educator who came to this work from an anti-poverty and anti-violence advocacy background. Malia works in the Health Hub program providing drug checking services, overdose prevention education, safer use supplies, and naloxone. They also serve as a member of the Washington state Safe Supply Work Group.

Melissa Cross, RN
Melissa Cross is a registered nurse who has been working at Blue Mountain Heart to Heart for over six years in programs located in Walla Walla, the Tri-Cities and Clarkston in Washington as well as in Pendleton, Oregon. Melissa has worked in the outpatient addiction medicine clinic, on the drug user mobile health unit, as well as in the correctional setting serving those involved in the justice system. Currently Melissa is working in the Health Engagement Hub program seeking to provide primary care, harm reduction, vaccination, HIV/HCV and STI testing and wound care for people who often fall in the gaps of the traditional care continuum.

Silent Intruder: Xylazine’s Impact on Public Health
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In this session, we aim to increase awareness of xylazine, an emerging threat in the drug scene, by educating the audience on its approved uses in veterinary medicine and its misuse in the human population. We will delve into the health impacts and risks associated with xylazine, highlighting both acute and chronic effects, potential for overdose, and the complications that arise in clinical settings. Furthermore, we will provide insights into public health initiatives, community education, the role of poison control centers, and the development of guidelines for healthcare providers to mitigate the impact of xylazine misuse.
Speaker: Sasha Kaiser, MD

Dr. Sasha Kaiser is the Associate Medical Director at the Washington Poison Center. She completed residency training in emergency medicine at Denver Health and Hospital Authority, and a fellowship in medical toxicology at the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety.

Meth: The Forgotten Drug
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After this presentation, the participant will understand:
1. What is methamphetamine, to include its effects.
2. Trends – illicit usage to include polysubstance, overdoses, availability/supply.
3. Treatment considerations.
4. Public health response to contaminated sites.
Speaker: Bob Lutz, MD, MPH

Bob Lutz, MD, MPH, received his medical degree from Temple University in 1988. He completed his Family Practice Residency and Sports Medicine Fellowship at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, and his Master of Public Health at the University of Arizona. He has adjunct faculty positions with the University of Washington School of Medicine and Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

Upon moving to Spokane, WA in 2004 with his wife, Amy, he served on the Spokane Regional Health District’s Board of Health for eight years, until being appointed as the Health Officer for Spokane County, WA from 2017-2020 and Asotin County from 2018-present. He joined the Washington Department of Health in 2020 and served as the DOH COVID-19 Medical Advisor through August 2022. He served as one of DOH’s four Regional Medical Officers through April 2024, when returned to local public health. As a street medicine provider for CHAS, an eastern Washington federally qualified health center, his recognition of societal factors contributing to health inequities underlies his commitment to improving the lives of everyone, especially those challenged to do so for themselves.

DAY 2: AUGUST 14

Cannabis Use & Psychosis Risk: What Do We Need to Know?
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As cannabis use has increased worldwide, so has the incidence of psychosis. People who present to the emergency department experiencing a cannabis-induced psychosis event have a much greater risk of developing schizophrenia years later. The Cannabis Education and Research Program led by Dr. Bia Carlini will present emerging trends related to cannabis induced psychosis and psychotic disorders, which populations are at greatest risk, and how clinicians, policymakers, and consumers may be able to mitigate harms.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how acute psychosis events have changed since legalization.
2. Understand the relationship between cannabis-induced psychotic events and psychotic disorders.
3. Name at least two factors that increase risk of experiencing psychosis.
4. Discuss potential interventions that could reduce the number of people who experience mental health harms associated with cannabis use.
Speakers: Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH and Sharon Garrett, MA, MPH

Dr. Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH
Dr. Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH (Bia) is Research Associate Professor at the Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. Her research career has been dedicated to understanding the public health impact of legal psychoactive substance use (such as alcohol, inhalants, tobacco, and cannabis) and policies on social and health outcomes. Since 2016, Dr. Carlini has led the ADAI Cannabis Research and Education Program, including acting as the Program Chair of the UW Cannabis Research Symposium, and conducting cannabis research that assists Washington community-based agencies, government agencies, and policymakers in making decisions and setting priorities.

Sharon Garrett, MPH, MA
Sharon Garrett, MPH, MA is a Research Scientist at the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI). She has overseen the implementation of multiple protocols within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN), evaluating psychosocial and pharmacotherapy interventions for treating substance use disorders. She also participates in the CTN PNW Node Community Engagement subcommittee and contributes to the organization and maintenance of the PNW Node Community Advisory Board which was established in 2023 as a conduit connecting UW research with the needs of our partners.

Since 2012, she has been an active member of ADAI’s Cannabis Education & Research Program (CERP), where she has collaborated on various projects exploring public health impacts of cannabis legalization in WA State. She has been a Project Coordinator in the development of three online trainings; a CME course for healthcare providers on the use of cannabis to treat chronic pain, and two cannabis trainings designed for helpline staff and for the public. She has also contributed to projects funded by the WA State I-502 dedicated marijuana fund to better understand adult cannabis use in the context of legalization, including focus groups with adult cannabis users, cannabis retail store staff, and parents who use cannabis. In 2022, this team evaluated policy options for reducing harms related to high-THC products, resulting in a package of recommendations for the WA State legislature.

Harm Reduction Messaging within Prevention & Intervention Efforts for College Students and Young Adults
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In this presentation, we will review what it means to “do” harm reduction, including a focus on how messages can be delivered within a motivational enhancement framework. Specific guidelines for reducing the harms associated with alcohol use and with cannabis use will be discussed, as will opportunities for prevention and intervention.
Speaker: Jason Kilmer, PhD

Dr. Jason Kilmer is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW), and serves as an investigator on several studies evaluating prevention and intervention efforts for alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use by college students. In addition to research and teaching, he has worked extensively with college students and student groups around alcohol and other drug prevention programming and presentations throughout his career (including student athletes, fraternity and sorority members, residence life, and first-year students), both at UW and on campuses across the nation. Jason worked for 10 years as an Addictive Behaviors Specialist in the Counseling Center at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, then worked for 10 years as the LiveWell Assistant Director for Alcohol and Other Drug Education in LiveWell: Center for Student Advocacy, Training, & Education at UW (formerly Health & Wellness). As faculty in the School of Medicine, Jason continues his direct work with students through presentations for intercollegiate athletics and residence life. Jason also serves as the chairperson of Washington state’s College Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Counting Sheep: VX and The Rock and Skull Valley Incident
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Like most Winter mornings, March 14th, 1968 in rural, Skull Valley, Utah was chilly and the hills were covered in snow. On closer evaluation, however, this was not just another morning. Strewn and camouflaged upon the snowy hills was a carnage of 1000’s of sheep. Concerns obviously arose, including: Had the sheep contracted an infectious illness? Had they grazed on poisonous plants? Had they succumbed to pesticides used on the plants? Or… was it the neighboring Dugway Proving Ground, where the U.S. Army was conducting chemical weapons testing, that was the culprit?
Speaker: Sukhi Atti, MD, MPH

Dr. Sukhi Atti is an Assistant Professor and practices Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology. After finishing medical school at St. George’s University, she pursued residency (Emergency Medicine) at Beth Israel Medical Center, then a fellowship (Disaster Medicine) at Beth Israel Deaconess and a second fellowship (Medical Toxicology) at Emory University. She moved to UAB in the summer of 2020 to work with the emergency medicine residency and medical toxicology programs. She currently is a staff toxicologist with the Alabama Poison Information Center and the course director for Medical Toxicology for UAB emergency medicine residents and medical students.

Adolescent Suicidality: Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Response
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This 1-hour session is focused on addressing prevention and intervention techniques to address adolescent suicidality, in addition to discussing postvention response to a suicidal crisis.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify lethal means restriction and safety planning techniques for a suicidal crisis.
2. Learn brief interventions for managing suicidal risk.
3. Identify postvention responses to a suicidal crisis.
Speaker: Jennifer Cadigan, PhD

Dr. Jennifer Cadigan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and a licensed psychologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Her program of research focuses on adolescent and young adult health and wellbeing, with an emphasis on the etiology, prevention, and intervention of substance misuse and co-occurring mental health concerns. She is Principal Investigator of several NIH funded grants. Her work aims to develop, test, and disseminate innovative prevention and intervention programs to reduce substance misuse and improve mental health among adolescents and young adults. Clinically, she works with adolescents presenting with depression and suicidality at Seattle Children’s Hospital in the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Clinic and in the Mood and Anxiety Program.

Nationwide Newsworthy Drugs
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This session will cover several drugs that have hit the headlines including semaglutide and tirzepatide, tianeptine, marijuana analogs, mushroom edibles, and others. Learn why they are newsworthy, why or if you should be concerned, and some of the symptoms associated with these drugs.
Speaker: Jimmy Leonard, PharmD, DABAT

Jimmy Leonard, PharmD, DABAT is the Managing Director of the Washington Poison Center. Dr. Leonard received his pharmacy degree from Washington State University College of Pharmacy. After graduation, he completed a PGY1 Pharmacy residency at Providence St. Peter’s Hospital in Olympia, WA followed by a two-year fellowship in Clinical Toxicology at the Maryland Poison Center. Dr. LEeonard’s previous experience includes time as a Clinical Toxicologist, Assistant Director, and Director of Clinical Services at the Maryland Poison Center where he held a faculty appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and taught poisoning management in a toxicology, critical care, and pediatrics electives. His research interests include toxicoepidemiology, poisoning prevention, and optimizing poisoning care.

DAY 3: AUGUST 21

Withdrawal
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This will be a lecture presentation that will describe the physiologic process of withdrawal from addictive substances. We will review withdrawal as a general process in the body, then detail the unique properties and presentations of alcohol withdrawal, opioid withdrawal (including the unique properties of fentanyl withdrawal), stimulant withdrawal, cannabis withdrawal, and benzodiazepine withdrawal. By the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe how withdrawal occurs in the body.
2. Identify life threatening symptoms of various withdrawal processes.
3. Explain what typical withdrawal symptoms are experienced in withdrawal from alcohol, opioids, stimulants, cannabis, and benzodiazepines.
Speaker: Nicole Rodin, PharmD, MBA

Dr. Rodin is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She splits her time teaching within the curriculum and practicing pharmacy at the WSU Research Clinic for Substance Use Disorders. Dr. Rodin’s current research initiatives are centered around public health initiatives including the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.

Humanizing through Connection
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I will be discussing my lived experience as a mother who lost her 20-year-old son to a Fentanyl overdose. This will include my experience with grief and stigma. In addition, I will share information on the subsequent founding of my non-profit organization, Fentanyl United Crisis Coalition and it’s mission to provide information, resources and harm reduction education to youth and young adults.
Speaker: Milli Militi Jigamian

My name is Milli Militi Jigamian, I am the proud mother to two beautiful sons, Giancarlo Jigamian (forever 20) and Dante Jigamian, 21. I am originally from Los Angeles, and have lived in Seattle for 18 years. I work as a licensed optician and frame buyer for two eyewear and optical clinics in Seattle, and am the Founder and President of Fentanyl United Crisis Coalition (FUCC).

Fentanyl Exposures in Young Children
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Washington Poison Center slides
Oregon Poison Center slides

1. Learners will understand clinical effects of fentanyl in young children.
2. Learners will understand the poison prevention practices that may be used to decrease fentanyl exposures in young children.
Panelists

Scott Phillips, MD, FACP, FACMT, FAACT
Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Toxicology for over thirty years, Dr. Scott Phillips is the Executive and Medical Director of the Washington Poison Center (WAPC). In addition to his position at the WAPC, Dr. Phillips continues to work as a hospitalist at Providence Mount Carmel Hospital in Colville, Washington. As a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, and the American College of Medical Toxicology, Dr. Phillips is dedicated to ongoing education and teaching. Focusing on environmental toxicology and health risk assessment, Dr. Phillips has authored over 200 articles, chapters and abstracts as well as several textbooks on medical toxicology.

Rob Hendrickson, MD, FACMT, FAACT
Rob Hendrickson is an emergency physician and medical toxicologist at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. He is the Medical Director of the Oregon Poison Center and the program director of OHSU’s medical toxicology fellowship.

Courtney Temple, MD
Courtney Temple is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Medical Toxicology Faculty at the Oregon Poison Center. Originally from the East Coast, she completed both medical school and residency at the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Temple has interests in both Emergency Medicine and toxicology, particularly in the areas of natural toxins and new psychoactive substances.

Safety Through Connection: The Friends for Life Fentanyl Education Campaign
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The Washington State Health Care Authority has partnered with DH, a social impact communications agency, to create the Friends for Life campaign, an education and awareness campaign to prevent opioid overdoses. When the campaign began in 2022, 70% of all overdose deaths in Washington state involved fentanyl, with rates rising fastest among young adults aged 18 – 25.

The Friends for Life campaign had the following goals: educate people about the transformation in the drug supply driven by illicit fentanyl, help people learn to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose using nasal spray naloxone, and equip people with other prevention and harm reduction techniques. The campaign is designed to reach youth (12 -17), young adults (18 -25) and their parents and caregivers.

In our one-hour Overdose Awareness Series presentation, Corie Bales, DH’s Director of Content Development, will overview the deep research and social change practices that underpin the campaign, walk through the development of campaign design and messaging, and preview harm reduction and prevention materials. Participants can expect to learn more about what social change marketing is, why positive social norming works, how to develop effective messaging, and how and where to use the campaign materials in their communities.
Speaker: Corie Bales, MA

Corie is the Director of Content Development with DH, a social impact communications agency in Washington. She has a master’s degree in teaching and professional experience as an educator, administrator, writer, and editor. In her role at DH, Corie develops content across sectors and audiences, researching and writing on topics like equity, public health, and voter access. As the creative content lead for the Friends for Life campaign, Corie conducted research on how best to communicate about illicit fentanyl and prevention and led the DH team in designing the messaging that brought this campaign to life.

Adolescent Over-the-Counter Overdoses
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Adolescents represent a unique population when discussing non-prescription medication overdoses. This session will provide a brief overview of the most common medications used by adolescents for self-harm attempts, intentional medication misuse, and therapeutic error overdoses. Specific risk factors for these overdoses will be reviewed, as well as known protective factors and prevention strategies for decreasing adolescent over-the-counter medication overdoses.

Learning Objectives:
– For adolescents, what are the most common medications which are involved in suicidal overdoses, misuse/abuse, and clinically significant therapeutic dosing errors?
– What risk factors increase the risk of adolescent over-the-counter medication overdoses?
– What strategies can be implemented to decrease the risk of adolescent overdoses?
Speaker: Colleen Cowdery, MD

Dr. Colleen Cowdery is a current medical toxicology fellow at the Oregon Poison Center and emergency medicine physician at Oregon Health and Science University. Dr. Cowdery’s interests include emerging trends in severe and fatal overdoses.

DAY 4: AUGUST 28

Naloxone in Schools: A Panel Discussion
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This session will start with brief introductions from our many esteemed panelists, then will dive right into a facilitated discussion (audience questions and comments encouraged!) about naloxone in high schools. SB 5804, passed in 2023 and expanded earlier this year, requires that naloxone is available in Washington State public schools. In this session, we will learn more about why this law is in place, challenges to policy implementation, community reactions, and more.
Panelists

Representative Gerry Pollet, JD
Representative Gerry Pollet, JD, represents the 46th District (North & NE Seattle) in the Washington Legislature. Gerry has taught the second year Policy Block in Community Oriented Public Health Practice (COPHP) as well as Environmental Health. His legislative work reflects his interest in public health policy and collaboration with COPHP students, including passing the first state legislation in the US regulating e-cigarette and vaping products, first in US legislation to address sexual misconduct “Passing the Harasser” practices at WA colleges and universities, WA’s environmental justice laws, and eliminating lead in school water. He has also been recognized as the leading advocate in the Legislature for special education and for his work on behalf of access for postsecondary education. Gerry has been appointed by the Governor to be one of Washington’s three Commissioners on the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education.

Gerry was the lead organizer for the initial effort to cleanup the massive Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the most contaminated area in North America, and wrote and directed the statewide referendum that protected WA from Hanford being the nation’s High Level Nuclear Waste Dump. He continues to serve as executive director of the Hanford cleanup watchdog group Heart of America NW (hanfordcleanup.org). Working closely with the Yakama nation and other affected Tribes, he runs a full-time summer Tribal Environmental Law externship program.

Amy Lutz, MAT, PMP
Amy Lutz, is the Public Health Program Specialist in Educational Service District 101 (ESD101) serving seven Eastern Washington Counties. In Amy’s education career she has been a teacher, curriculum director and trainer in the areas of health and physical education. Partnerships with Local Public Health and the Department of Health have allowed Amy to support districts with many public health initiatives including naloxone distribution and opioid response resources. In addition, Amy has worked with a collaborative team of school nurses, school safety directors, behavioral health clinicians and threat assessment experts in assisting school districts in developing their Emergency Operations Plan through an all-hazards approach. With Amy’s experience and certification in Project Management, she uses these skills in developing EOP’s as well as developing table top and full scale training exercises for districts. Amy lives in Spokane, Washington where she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and dogs.

Annie Hetzel, MSN, RN, NCSN
Annie Hetzel, MSN, RN, NCSN is the Washington Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction (OSPI) School Health Services Consultant. She is a registered nurse with 33 years’ experience in hospital, home care, and school nursing. Prior to joining OSPI, she worked as a School Nurse Corps Administrator for the Puget Sound region for 5 years, providing school nurse support and managing school safety services. In her current role, Annie provides guidance, consultation, and technical assistance on school health issues and manages the Home Hospital program.

Supporting Recovery: Treating Alcohol & Opioid Use Disorders with Naltrexone
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Myths about will power often keep people from considering medication options in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). In this presentation we will consider one tool approved to treat both AUD and OUD, naltrexone, which reduces cravings by adjusting the brain’s chemical reward system. But how do we determine who is a good candidate for naltrexone? How effective is it? How can we guide individuals and providers to use it safely? With limited resources, it’s important we consider all the tools in our tool belt, including naltrexone, when preventing relapse and supporting treatment success.
Speakers: Garbo McDermott-Grossman, PharmD and Katie Berenstein, PharmD

Garbo McDermott-Grossman, PharmD
Garbo McDermott-Grossman is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Pharmacy and the current pharmacy resident at Kelley-Ross Pharmacy Group. Her primary interests include geriatrics and behavioral health. Kelley-Ross has been heavily involved in overdose prevention and has provided group education on opioid overdose for outreach groups throughout the community. Additionally, Kelley-Ross was the first pharmacy in Washington to provide Take-Home Naloxone Kits and continues to be a significant provider of naloxone kits to the community.

Katie Berenstein, PharmD
Katie Berenstein is a clinical pharmacist for Kelley-Ross Pharmacy in Seattle, Washington. At Kelley-Ross she specializes in HIV prevention, international travel medicine, and directs the Kelley-Ross Community Pharmacy Residency Program. Kelley-Ross has been heavily involved in overdose prevention and has provided group education on opioid overdose for outreach groups throughout the community. Additionally, Kelley-Ross was the first pharmacy in Washington to provide Take-Home Naloxone Kits and continues to be a significant provider of naloxone kits to the community.

Lunchtime AMA

For our final day, we are changing up the networking sessions to be an AMA (Ask Me Anything)! Our expert staff members will be available for you to ask us anything about overdose, prevention, and harm reduction.

Emergency Department MOUD and Linkage to Care
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Patients who are seen in the emergency department for a non-fatal opioid overdose are at high risk of death after discharge. Often these patients are not offered medication that can reduce that risk. This session discusses the benefits of starting medications for opioid use disorder during the emergency department visit, the barriers to doing so, and resources available to support a change in practice. Learning objectives: Describe outcomes associated with non-fatal overdose visits without treatment for opioid use disorder, understand impact of emergency department medications for opioid use disorder, identify emergency department treatment gaps, describe reported barriers to treatment provision, recognize the importance of linkage to care, name local resources that support emergency department initiation of medications for opioid use disorder and linkage to care.
Speaker: Liz Wolkin, RN, MSN, CEN, NPD-BC

Liz Wolkin is a certified emergency nurse and nursing educator who manages the Health Care Authority’s ScalaNW ED Bridge program. They are a lifelong harm reductionist and have lived experience with substance use disorder.

Medication Overdose Considerations for Older Adults
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Older adults have many special considerations relating to medication use, as we know age impacts how medications work in our bodies and how we respond to certain medications. We also know that medication misuse and abuse does happen among older adults, and that those special age-related considerations may still apply. In this session we’ll discuss safe medication use, accidental and intentional overdose, and harm reduction strategies to employ when working with the older adult population (age 65+).
Speaker: Abby Winter, PharmD

Dr. Abby Winter is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Pharmacy and is the Assistant Director for Outreach in the Plein Center for Geriatric Pharmacy Research, Education & Outreach at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. She leads the clinical and outreach efforts of the Plein Center at Era Living, a group of Seattle-area Retirement Communities, where her primary focus is to optimize medication use in older adults. Dr. Winter teaches in the Schools of Pharmacy and Nursing at UW. She is a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist.