The Role of Healthcare Professionals in the Opioid Epidemic: Prevention, Intervention and Community Effort

In a nation gripped by the opioid epidemic, Huntington, WV has experienced its share of suffering. Our community, however, is rallying to be the epicenter of change. Numerous efforts are being made to support those dealing with addiction, who are in recovery, and those who experience the tragic effects of addiction second-hand. This past semester, the Department of Communication Disorders at Marshall University decided to contribute to that change by launching a new seminar on professional's involvement in caring for people and communities affected by the opioid crisis.

I had the opportunity to co-facilitate the class with Pam Holland. Together, we learned alongside 6 eager, compassionate graduate students. The course was rooted in conversation about the issue and how we can serve those in need. Students conducted literature reviews, engaged in community awareness events, learned from amazing guest speakers, and even had the opportunity to visit and assist at the local Neonatal Therapeutic Unit (NTU). As a culminating project, they conducted a live webinar on various topics discussed throughout the semester and developed educational materials which can be freely used.  The links to those resources are below.

A sincere thank you to all of those who contributed to the course this semester and to those who work every day to help serve those affected by addiction.

Sincerely,
Mary Weidner

• Webinar presentation (December, 2018)
• Defining Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) (Caitlyn Tucker)
• Symptoms of NAS (Cassidy Martin)
• Behavioral management for children affected by NAS (Ronica Hensley)
• Mental Health in Mothers with Substance Use Disorders (Allison Hatcher)
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) (Heidi Dennison)