SUFFOLK COUNTY EXECUTIVE BELLONE ANNOUNCES NEW EDUCATIONAL SERIES TO ASSIST PHARMACISTS IN ADDRESSING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC
Integrating Practices with Public Health and Harm Reduction Strategies
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced a new educational series designed to assist pharmacists in addressing the opioid epidemic by integrating practices to reduce harm. The continuing education series is available at no cost to all New York State pharmacists. The course is virtual and will be led by a team of multi-disciplinary experts working to end the opioid crisis in New York State.
“The opioid epidemic has caused untold devastation across the country, which is why Suffolk became the first county in New York State to sue the drug makers in connection with this crisis. In Suffolk, we are committed to exploring all options when it comes to reducing opioid overdoses and deaths,” said County Executive Bellone. “This new series is the latest tool in our belts and I encourage all pharmacists to take advantage of the continuing education being offered to them on behalf of our community.”
The educational series will commence on Sunday, October 3, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and will continue on October 17, October 24, and October 31, 2021, at 9 a.m. Pharmacists who participate may choose to attend any number of sessions. Continuing Education credit has been approved for up to 6 live Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or 0.6 Contact Hours of live Continuing Education.
Topics will include:
- Reducing overdose deaths through increasing access to naloxone
- Equity in access
- Medication for opioid use disorder
- COVID-19 services
- Medication for addiction treatment
- Pharmacology, misconceptions, and myths
- Harm reduction
- Optimizing pharmacy interventions in New York State, and the legal dimensions in responding to the opioid crisis.
The educational series is co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health HEAL Initiative Planning Committee of Cayuga, Columbia, Putnam, and Suffolk counties and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
The courses offered are as follows:
- Sunday, October 3: The Opioid Epidemic, Impacts of COVID-19 & How Pharmacists Can Reduce Overdose Deaths Through Increasing Access to Naloxone (0.075 CEUs) and Equity in Access: Naloxone, MOUD, & COVID-19 Services (0.075 CEUs). Register by Friday, October 1.
- Sunday, October 17: Medication For Addiction Treatment: Pharmacology, Misconceptions, and Myths. (0.15 CEUs) Register by Friday, October 15.
- Sunday, October 24: Harm Reduction for Pharmacists (0.075 CEUs) and Optimizing Pharmacy Interventions in New York State. (0.075 CEUs) Register by Friday, October 22.
- Sunday, October 31: Response to the Opioid Crisis: Legal Dimensions & Harm Reduction.( 0.15 CEUs) Register by Friday, October 29.
Register by visiting: https://pharmacyce.acphs.edu/user/login.
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