National Fentanyl Awareness Day is May 9.
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National Fentanyl Awareness Day is May 9. Raising awareness about an urgent national problem: people are dying at alarming rates due to illicit fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid. Get the facts and share them widely. Learn about our efforts to raise awareness and see our campaigns at www.venturacountyresponds.org and www.fentanylventuracounty.org. View more resources www.fentanylawarenessday.org.
Event – The Fentanyl Crisis: What You Need to Know Now
The Fentanyl Crisis: What You Need to Know Now
Learn About Latest Trends and Burprenorphine in Primary Care for Our Patients
May 9, 2023 • 5:30–8:00 PM
Las Posas Country Club, Camarillo
Ventura County faces a crisis of fentanyl deaths. In 2022 there were 181 accidental overdose deaths involving fentanyl. In just three short years our county has experienced a 445% increase in fentanyl fatalities. However, these deaths only represent a fraction of the total number of Ventura County individuals, families, and communities harmed by substance misuse, and suffering daily from chronic use disorders. We invite you to join us in changing this reality.
In facing our local crisis, the importance of practitioner training in substance use disorders cannot be overstated. All members of a patient’s care team play important roles, but primary care providers are pivotal in providing increased access to treatment. The recent elimination of the X-waiver requirement to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder offers the chance to expand access to treatment in primary care settings, which can turn the tide of the opioid crisis.
- Hear from local experts and discuss with peers the latest overdose trends
- Learn about recent legislative changes related to opioid use disorder treatment
- Receive provider and patient resources that can assist in expanding access
- Discuss factors at the provider, health system, and patient levels that serve as barriers to accessing buprenorphine-based treatment.
- Learn skills needed to screen, counsel, treat, and coordinate care
- Help us bend the trend!
Join the Discussion May 9th!
National Fentanyl Awareness Day
REGISTER HERE
Panelists:
- Chris Young, M.D.
Ventura County Chief Medical Examiner - Sergeant John Hajducko
Ventura County Sheriff’s Office - Joseph C. Vlaskovits, M.D.
Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine, Program Director, Community Memorial Healthcare Psychiatry Residency Program; Faculty, Ventura County Medical Center Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellowship; Medical Director, Substance Use Treatment Services, Ventura County Behavioral Health - Tipu Khan, M.D., FAAFP, FASAM
Chief of Addiction Medicine at VCMC; Family, Emergency, and Addiction Medicine; Fellowship Director, Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellowship; Faculty, Family Medicine Residency Program, Ventura County Medical Center; Adjunct Clinical Professor, USC Keck SOM - Mathew Lamon, D.O.
Family and Addiction Medicine; Core Faculty, Ventura County Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program; Associate Program Director, VCMC Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellowship
CME credits will be available for this event. Dinner and Refreshments will be served.
If you have questions regarding this series, please contact Ashley Nettles at Ashley.Nettles@ventura.org.
Prescribers are key to creating change in our community.
Thanks to exceptional local collaboration, Ventura County has seen a decrease in opioid prescribing in recent years – a 24% reduction between 2017 and 2020 – as providers have employed safe prescribing practices and increased use of non-narcotic pain management strategies.
Unfortunately, overdose deaths continue to climb, largely due to illegal fentanyl, which has replaced much of the local heroin use and is contributing to the rising number of overdose emergencies. As a concerned local provider, we invite you to join the Prescriber Discussion Series:
- Hear from local experts and discuss with peers the latest trends and best practices.
- Get provider-focused resources to reduce misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD).
- Learn the new State guidelines and latest tools for patient care and provider coordination.
Connecting because we care. For our patients and for our community.
PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS
- September 21, 2022
Person-Centered Strategies to Reduce Opioid Overdose
- August 31, 2022
Deprescribing is Good Prescribing
- June 8, 2022
Evidence-based Safe Prescribing
- May 11, 2022
Latest Trends in Overdose: What Prescribers Need to Know About Illicit Fentanyl
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER:
February is Black History Month!
Insight from COAST Leads
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COAST has enjoyed the collaboration of COAST Leads from agencies within Ventura County, including Public Health, Emergency Medical Services, Medical Examiner’s Office, Health Care Agency and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
We asked the COAST Leads “What are you optimistic about related to the Opioid Crisis in 2023?”
Chris Rosa, Deputy EMS Administrator, VCEMS Agency: I’m optimistic about the future of the COAST task force. Meeting in-person in November for the first time since 2020, was great, and you could feel the energy in the room. People are ready to get back on track and do some good work with regard to opioid abuse and response.
Dr. Theresa Cho, Ventura County Health Care Agency, Ambulatory Care CEO: I am inspired by VCHCA's battle against the opioid crisis through addiction medicine treatment, with plans to launch a detox unit at our county hospital. Opiate use disorder is a frequent challenge for those served by our Backpack Medicine team, who meet patients where they are at as we try to save lives from this disease. The Whole Person Care team's intensive case management for persons with substance use disorders gives me hope that they will get the treatment and support they need.
Sgt. John Hadjucko, VCSO Special Services Division-Narcotics: I am hopeful that the flow of information and dialogue continues between government agencies and community / education groups on just how dangerous fentanyl is and the scope of the epidemic we face. There can be no change without first recognizing we have a problem, then working together to confront it. I think this past year we finally really started seeing what we are up against and admitting it is entrenched in our community. I see positive change as we continue to make that output of information and resources a reality, and there seems to be an overlying community interest in working together to solve this problem.