American Federation of Teachers Launches E-Learning Tool to Help Combat Opioid Crisis

Washington, D.C. – In response to the continued and widespread opioid abuse crisis in communities throughout the United States, the AFT has launched a learning program on opioid use disorder for educators, nurses, social workers and school support personnel. The program, titled "Combatting the Opioid Crisis: AFT Responds," is now available on the union's e-learning platform, and can be accessed at https://aftelearning.org/group/61. The program aims to provide education and healthcare professionals with critical tools and resources to support patients, students and families affected by the opioid crisis, and will be distributed widely to AFT members and their networks. It launches as a new report [https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/preventable-death-overview/odds-of-dying/] from the National Safety Council out this week indicates that for the first time in history, Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car crashes.

The course includes video-based content created by faculty and staff experts at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and addresses widely recognized training and information gaps AFT members may encounter when dealing with the realities of treating and counseling people about the challenges of opioid use and addiction. It also aims to streamline and simplify the resources available to help these professionals navigate the complex world of providing information on treatment. 

"Opioid addiction is a crisis of epidemic proportions. Amidst the horrible reality that Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car accidents, education is a key first step in making sure our communities have the information they need to treat and prevent addiction and overdose," said Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member AFT. "What better then for the AFT, a union of educators and school staff, nurses, physicians and social service workers, to undertake this job to educate; to sound the alarm on this public health crisis and try to play a role in the solution? Our members witness the real costs of this epidemic to families, to our healthcare system, and to our community and educational institutions daily. 

"We hope this platform will offer those on the front lines important resources to help fight back against the causes of opioid abuse, including tools to recognize chemical dependence, administer overdose response, and a guide to advocate for funding and treatment so that patients get the care they need."

This comprehensive offering also includes access to two additional e-learning courses developed by Harvard Medical School-OpioidX (HMS OpioidX), a seven-hour general-audience opioid education certificate course, and OUDEP (HMS OUD CME Course) a 24-hour, National Institute on Drug Abuse- funded opioid and substance abuse curriculum for health professionals, which is eligible for CME, or continuing medical education credit. The AFT also provides a set of resources for educators and health professionals, as well as information regarding in-person training sessions available to AFT members and community partners. 

Catherine Finn, deputy editor at Harvard Health Publications, the media and publishing division of HMS, said, "As I've traveled the country attending conferences about opioid use and addiction, I have learned that the unifying mission among folks in medicine, government and grass-roots coalitions is to reduce the stigma of addiction and educate to prevent overdose. Harvard Medical School's OpioidX course content will help the AFT provide actionable, easy-to-understand takeaways that can save lives."

AFT members have been actively seeking and creating solutions to address this crisis for years, lobbying for state and national policies that would expand access and funding for effective treatment, and that would press for more accountability for pharmaceutical companies around their strong marketing practices of opioids. The AFT will continue to provide its support to members focused on these efforts wherever possible.

Combating the Opioid Crisis: AFT Responds

The opioid crisis is widespread, affecting our students, patients, communities, and even our own families. The American Federation of Teachers is offering this e-learning course, developed by the Harvard Medical School, to support our members and affiliates as they work to identify and advocate for proper prevention and treatment programs in the communities they serve. By taking this course, you will be able to recognize the key factors in the current opioid epidemic and employ the techniques learned to identify addiction; respond with treatment strategies; support those in recovery; and engage in prevention education.

Learning Outcomes:

After the completion of this course, learners will be able to:

  1. Describe the opioid crisis.
  2. Identify those who are at most risk for opioid addiction.
  3. Identify key physiological signs of an overdose.
  4. Administer Narcan (naloxone).
  5. Explain treatment options for opioid addiction.
  6. Define medically assisted treatment.
  7. Support those in recovery.

Featured

  • K12 Tutoring Earns Every Student Succeeds Act Level II Validation

    Personalized online tutoring service K12 Tutoring recently announced that it has received Level II validation underneath the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), according to a news release. The independently validated study provides evidence of K12 Tutoring’s role in creating positive student outcomes through effective academic intervention and research-based solutions.

  • Addressing the Housing Affordability Crisis Through Creative Campus Development

    Many Southern California college and university campuses are living amidst surging housing costs, driving the need to house more of their populations on campus. Especially for community colleges, the need to support millions of unhoused and housing insecure students has become a prominent issue that lawmakers and institutions alike are trying to solve.

  • PNSI Global Alliance Launches New Quality Assurance Certification

    PNSI Global Alliance, a network of technology integrators and service providers, recently introduced a new Quality Assurance Certification (QAC) for AV service and support, according to a press release. The two-day, interactive workshop QAC course is designed for Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) to provide them with the most up-to-date and advanced quality assurance knowledge available.

  • UT-Austin Breaks Ground on 17-Story Business School

    The University of Texas at Austin recently broke ground on a new, 17-story facility that will serve as the new home for the school’s McCombs School of Business, according to university news. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 10 for Mulva Hall, which will include amenities like classrooms, academic department suites, research centers, faculty offices, the dean’s office, and gathering spaces.

Digital Edition