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Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Awareness Month
October is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Awareness Month. The Upper Peninsula has one of the highest rates of NAS in the State of Michigan. With education about the topic, we hope to help change this. The most important thing to know about NAS is that help is available, for the individual using drugs and their child.
CLICK HERE to learn more about NAS and options for support and a healthier birth.
EMS Leadership Academy
The EMS Leadership Academy is for new and current leaders, as well as anyone with an interest in the leadership and management of EMS. It is designed to give participants the basic tools and information needed to quickly and successfully assume the role of a leader. CLICK HERE to sign up.
Provider Support Group
Are you a provider in the mental health, addiction, or primary care field? We are now offering a support group to geared toward the unique needs of providers. Upcoming meetings will be announced soon.
CLICK HERE to sign up.
Monthly Provider e-Newsletter
Are you a provider in the mental health, addiction, or primary care field? Our monthly e-newsletter is for you!
In each issue, you'll find:
- Resources for self care and avoiding burnout
- Trainings and continuing education
- Updates and new information for providers
- Giveaways
Your work in the community is incredibly important, and we thank you for all you do! CLICK HERE to sign up
ResponderStrong App
A confidential space for responders, healthcare workers and their families to take charge of their well-being in order to Succeed, Thrive, and Matter.
This digital platform is available 24-7, with hundreds of evidence-based resources and tools to support responders, health care workers and their loved ones with their personal and professional well-being.
LEARN MORE or download the app by visiting https://you.responderstrong.org/
How to Help Family Members and Friends with Substance Use Disorder
Join us for three, one-hour virtual presentations discussing how to help friends and family members with Substance Use Disorders. The presentations are free to attend via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/92758223472
SESSION ONE: Understanding Substance Use Disorders ~ May 25 @ 6:00 PM (EST)
SESSION TWO: Recognizing Substance Use Disorders in people we care about ~ June 1 @ 6:00 PM (EST)
SESSION THREE: What to do when a cared person is struggling with a Substance Use Disorder ~ June 8 @ 6:00 PM (EST)
Additional Information
The Beyond the Save: Provider Toolkit has been designed as a collaborative effort to educate, provide tools and connect resources. Many people who struggle with opioid misuse also have legitimate needs for pain control and there are alternate options available for anyone who is at risk of opioid misuse. It is imperative that providers take a moment to assess patients before prescribing opioid medications, be aware of alternate options and be ready to connect patients to helpful resources.
Medical care providers can help reduce opioid abuse and overdose by checking the Michigan
Automated Prescription System (MAPS), reviewing patient history, and conducting a brief screening(see page 5 for screening tools of patients to identify those at risk for dependency or overdose).Patient, family and peers should be informed that all medications must be taken only as directed, as opioids that are not taken as directed can cause death.
National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week links teens with scientists and other experts to counteract myths about drugs and alcohol. In the UP, Communities That Care (CTC) coalitions are holding events in different counties. CLICK HERE to find events in your county.
First Responder Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid for Fire and EMS focuses on the unique experiences and needs of firefighters and EMS personnel and is a valuable resource that can make a difference in their lives, their families’ lives and the communities in which they live. Click here to learn more.
Free Narcan (aka Naloxone) by Mail
In 2018 there were 2,011 identified opioid overdose deaths in the state of Michigan.
If you are a person who uses drugs or if you are around people who use drugs, please consider learning how to respond to an opioid overdose and carrying naloxone (intranasal brand name: Narcan). Naloxone is a medication designed to reverse an opioid overdose. Opioids slow down the activity of the central nervous system. This can cause slowed or stopped breathing which may lead to death. Naloxone displaces the opioids from the opioid receptors in the brain which allows the person who is experiencing an opioid overdose to begin breathing normally. Click here to learn more.
Facing Addition through Community Engagement
New R-CORP project addressing the needs of loved ones of those dealing with addiction. The vision of the FACE project is to help Upper Peninsula families facing addiction end the cycle to protect future generations. They connect families to recovery by raising awareness, reducing stigma, and providing support. Click here to learn more here
Provider Newsletter Giveaway
We held a giveaway for providers and first responders in the UP. Two prizes are available, and each includes a waffle knit beanie, a Yooper Strong face mask, and two LoyalTees stickers. Thank you LoyalTees for donating prizes!
Rural Community Toolbox
Federal resources that can help rural communities become strong, healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live and work. Find funding options, treatment and services, information on SUD and opioids, and expert help and training. Find the toolkit here.
Oregon Voters Decriminalize Possessing Illegal Drugs
The ballot measure makes personally possessing small amounts of drugs a civil violation, while also providing addiction services funding. This podcast by Science Friday provides a comprehensive review.
How to Select Telehealth Services for Your Practice
In this document from COSSAP, learn about how telehealth services are a cost-effective option for agencies that want to expand the provision of services to individuals who have not been able to access them. Whether it be to adapt to the current pandemic, engage with communities, or work with incarcerated individuals, organizations supporting drug treatment and recovery should consider how telehealth may benefit their clients and support organizational objectives.
Rural Community Paramedicine Toolkit
The Rural Health Information Hub has developed a Rural Community Paramedicine Toolkit. This toolkit compiles emerging practices and resources to support rural communities seeking to build community paramedicine and mobile integrated health programs across the United States. In particular, it focuses on existing programs that have successfully provided rural community paramedicine services.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
NSDUH’s latest annual report focuses on substance use and mental health in the United States based on data from 2019 and earlier. The annual report presents estimates that meet the criteria for statistical precision and facilitate examination of trends over time to study changes in society and emerging issues.
CLICK HERE to find past featured content.
Mental Health First Aid
MHFA teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance use disorder.