What do you know about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/or Medication-Assistant Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder? Do your research and find out if it might be for you. Please let us know if we can be of any help to help you find the right treatment center that offers CBT and/or MAT.

Opioid/Overdose Response & Reduction Program (OORRP) 

Drug Overdose Web Guide: Addiction Center provides free web guides about drug misuse and overdose recovery. Addiction Center has a dedicated sections that discusses drug overdoses and lifesaving Narcan.

OORRP is happy to share the implementation of the SPIKE Auto Text Program in Davidson County. I have attached a shareable flyer that explains the program and how to sign up. While anyone can sign up, the primary aim for our program is to enhance timely communication of acute/anomalous overdose events to persons with substance use issues and their friends and family.

How the Program Works

Whenever we detect overdose spike events via our surveillance system, OORRP epidemiologists activate our acute overdose response plan to determine response and communication strategies (if necessary). In the event where community-wide notification is necessary, persons who opted in to the program will receive a text indicating an overdose spike in the county. Within the text message, there will be a link to the Health Department’s Twitter where more information about the event and resources will be posted. As always, the amount of information regarding the overdose event that is shared will vary and ultimately be governed by data security and confidentiality guidelines. 

It is important to note that this is a pilot program, and our program will be evaluating its efficacy and impact throughout implementation.

Website_SPIKE_Program_Version_06.01.2021Download
SPIKE_Community_Flyer_June_2021Download

Test it before you ingest it…

… is DanceSafe’s motto, a public health organization promoting health and safety within the nightlife and electronic music community. As such, DanceSafe offers a variety of drug testing kits, including test strips to quickly and reliably detect the presence of fentanyl and most of its known analogs in a drug sample. While using these strips cannot detect all analogs and they do not guarantee your safety, testing can reduce the risk of ingesting fentanyl and its analogs without your knowledge if properly used and administered. Visit DanceSafe’s website for more information on these test kits.

Naloxone can save your life!

Naloxone (i.e., Narcan) can treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation. In the state of Tennessee, naloxone can be obtained at a pharmacy without a prescription. Many insurances cover part or all of the charge. There is no copay for individuals who have TennCare. In addition, individuals who have Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts or Health Reimbursement Accounts can use these to purchase naloxone.

The Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse provides naloxone at no charge to individuals that qualify. We prioritize individuals who are at high risk of an overdose and do not have other means of access naloxone. Individuals can reach out to the Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS). Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) cover all 95 counties in Tennessee.  In addition to training, they help individuals get connected to resources and supports in their local communities.

There are 2 options for naloxone training. 

  • You can get a basic naloxone training online through the Department of Health. This training is fairly quick. At the end of the online training, you complete a short quiz. Upon passing the quiz, you are issued a certificate of completion which allows you to carry and administer naloxone, and protects you from liability through the Tennessee Addiction Treatment Act. 
  • There are also 20 ROPS throughout the state. These individuals train individuals and groups, and there are many virtual trainings offered. Their training also fulfills the requirements for protection through the TN Addiction Treatment Act. Their training also cover topics such as addiction as a disease, the addicted brain and how to access naloxone. 

We have to emphasize that naloxone is not a substitute for medical intervention, so you should also call 911 when an overdose occurs. 

Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists” (ROPS)

The ROPS website shows a a map of all the locations in every TN county who to contact for free Narcan Kits.

Online Narcan Training

This page gives you access to online Narcan training, so you don’t have to take an in-person training class for an hour.

It’s a series of short videos and at the end there is a 10 Question quiz. After the quiz it will give you a certificate you can put your name on and print it out and I suggest take a picture of it with your phone so if anyone ever wants to see if you got a certificate to administer Narcan, you have it right there with you.

Help… but do it right…

  • “Good Good Samaritan Law” in TN: There have been too many instances where people that are with someone that overdoses leaves them to die because they don’t know what to do and are afraid to call 911 for help. Everyone should know about this law!
  • The Don’ts if you are with someone that overdoses

You are not alone in your grief…

If you need help getting out…