INDIANAPOLIS, July 24, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Overdose
Lifeline, a 501©(3) not-for-profit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana, that is dedicated to
education, prevention and harm reduction efforts in response to the
opioid crisis, had just released the findings from a study of their
educational program, This is (Not) About Drugs (TINAD.)
Justin Phillips, Founder of
Overdose Lifeline, says; "Education is one of the most critical
tools we have in the prevention of opioid misuse and overdose.
Bringing this program to communities helps address the root issues
of this crisis in a particularly vulnerable and malleable group –
youth."
Currently, 22 U.S. states, leveraging 390+ strategic community
partners, are certified and deploying this critical,
time-sensitive, program. The brief intervention is a complement to
foundational evidence-based programs such as Botvin Lifeskills and
Too Good for Drugs and is designed to raise awareness to substance
misuse, with a special emphasis on prescription opioids.
TINAD is an in-class program that teaches teens about the risks
of nonprescribed opioid and heroin use. The program includes a
guided discussion and a film which finds twelve young people, all
affected by the opioid crisis, sharing their personal stories for a
peer-to-peer learning approach. Participants in TINAD learn about
the risks of misusing prescription opioids, that prescription
opioids are the same class of drug as heroin, how misusing
prescription opioids can lead to addiction or heroin use, that
overdose is possible with prescription opioids, and how to
recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and to call 911. TINAD
also encourage students to make good choices and to ask for help
and access resources for making decisions about their own body and
health.
Conducted by the Public Policy Institute at Indiana University, the study examined the efficacy
and results of the program in a sample of the population to which
the program is targeted. The study included a treatment group,
youth who received the TINAD program, and a control group, youth
who did not initially partake in the program.
The study found that after participating in the TINAD
program:
- Students in the treatment group were significantly more likely
to understand the similarity between heroin and prescription pain
pills
- Students in the treatment group acknowledged significantly more
risk associated with the use of unprescribed pain pills and that it
is as risky using heroin
- Students in treatment group were significantly more
knowledgeable about naloxone and its purpose
- Students in the treatment group demonstrated a slight, non-
significant ability to recognize an overdose and understanding of
the addictive nature of heroin
Captain Jack Sadler, Enforcement
Division, Hendricks County
Sheriff's Department on why they selected the This is (Not) About
Drugs program for their community;
"In our response to the opioid epidemic, we see this program as
an opportunity to educate the youth of Hendricks County about the risks and outcomes
of opioid addiction before they become involved. Our school
resource officers have already established relationships with their
students. With them presenting the "This is Not About Drugs"
program, we will have an even greater impact on students. We
believe that this could be a game changer and will undoubtedly make
a difference in our community."
Diana Bernal, MPM, Health and
Wellness Project Specialist of Beacon Health System shares how the
program fits within their three-year substance use prevention
plan;
"After conducting our Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)
for St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall counties in Indiana, it was identified that substance
abuse was a concern for our community. Substance Abuse is one of
our 4 priorities for the next three years and This is (Not) About
Drugs program is one of our core tools to help prevent early misuse
of opioids among our younger generation."
Links:
To read the full report, you can visit
https://www.overdose-lifeline.org/new-study-on-youth-focused-opioid-education-program-offers-results.html
More information about the This is (Not) About Drugs program:
https://www.overdose-lifeline.org/education
About Overdose Lifeline, Inc.:
Overdose Lifeline, https://www.overdose-lifeline.org is an
Indiana 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization with a mission to eliminate the shame and stigma of
substance use disorder and carry the message of hope to
individuals, families, and communities affected by the chronic
disease of addiction. The organization was founded in 2014 as a
direct response to the opioid public health crisis. The nonprofits'
programs and initiatives focus on advocacy, education, harm
reduction, prevention, providing resources, and support.
SOURCE Overdose Lifeline, Inc.