Too often, society sees the results of substance use disorder: Broken families, broken hearts – broken lives.
But amid the gloom is a way forward for those who participate in a treatment court program instead of going to prison where they are given the opportunity to turn their lives around and achieve recovery through a rigorous program. Some of the Averhealth team attended a recent graduation ceremony for participants of Henrico County (Va.) Drug Court.
During our latest webinar on June 16th, Averhealth board member Gen. Barry McCaffrey (Ret.) outlined some sobering facts – overdose deaths in the United States last year hit a record 107,000. And last year, overdoses involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids surpassed 71,000, up 23 percent from a year earlier.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills. Fentanyl is cheap, potent, and profitable, so drug dealers use it to make counterfeit pills that resemble prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and alprazolam (Xanax); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall).
It's a problem that's vexing law enforcement – with deadly consequences. Even worse, these pills are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms with intriguing street names like Beans, Blues, Kickers, and Whites, making them available to minors.
Averhealth COO, Dominique Delagnes, then delved into the science of fentanyl – that it acts like an opioid in the body but is chemically not an opiate. This drug is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, causing severe respiratory depression, muscle rigidity, seizures, hypertension, and comas.
Averhealth serves as your knowledge hub and continues to bring you quarterly webinars from thought leaders in the field on relevant topics to further educate and keep you up to date on industry trends.
Looking forward to seeing you in Nashville!
Averhealth is a proud platinum sponsor of NADCP's RISE 22 Conference to be held in Nashville, TN.
We look forward to reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. With 6,000 attendees and 275 sessions, there's bound to be something for everyone.
Visit our team at Booth 111 in the Delta B lobby at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. It’s near the registration desks, and we’ll be there during the exhibit hours:
7 a.m.-5:15 p.m. on Monday, July 25
7 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26
7 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, July 27
Attend two engaging workshops we're presenting:
July 25 at 2:45 p.m.: "Veterans Treatment Courts: Never Stop Moving – 10 Years, 10 Tips." Our panel – Averhealth board member Gen. Barry McCaffrey (Ret.), Judge Bill Anderson, court administrator Jerry Easter, and veteran Brad Bell – will outline the benefits of veterans' treatment courts and how the program in Shelby County, Tenn., has achieved 10 years of success. Mr. Bell will then tell us how he credits the court for turning his life around. (You can read more about Mr. Bell in our recent blog.) This session will be held in Ryman Ballroom A/B.
July 26 at 9:30 a.m.: "A Snapshot of Community Drug Trends – Popular Street Drugs Used to Avoid Drug Testing Detection." Back by popular demand is the Tall Cop, Jermaine Galloway, who will focus this session on popular street drugs – over-the-counter and plant-based drugs – that are of interest to avoid drug testing detection. You'll also learn about what stash clothing is being purchased for those seeking drug-related items. Join us for this session in Ryman Ballroom D/E.
Upcoming Conferences
Make plans to see Team Averhealth at this upcoming state conference:
West Texas Area Chief's Association July 17-19 at Fredericksburg Inn and Suites in Fredericksburg, Texas.
Industry News
Study: Urine Drug Tests Correlate with Fatal Overdoses A recent study in JAMA Network suggests urine drug tests offer valuable data that provides real-time insights into fatal overdoses. To answer whether urine drug test results correlate with overdose mortality rates, the cross-sectional study of 500,000 unique urine specimens for five drug categories related to overdose mortality rates at national, state, and county levels. This correlation was strongest for synthetic opioids and methamphetamines.
Congressional Bills Focus on Treatment
With overdoses soaring, Congress is considering two congressional bills to increase access to treatment.
The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act is bipartisan legislation that would eliminate a waiver needed to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction treatment. The bill also directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct a national campaign to educate health care practitioners and encourage them to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their practices.
The Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act is designed to ensure that all DEA-controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to prevent addiction and identify, treat, and manage patients with substance use disorders. Language for the two bills has been incorporated into a larger mental health bill (HR 7666) that passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee with broad bipartisan support.
Let's Connect
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Partner with Averhealth!
For more information on how you can partner with Averhealth for all of your drug testing needs, please reach out to sales@averhealth.com.
Need a resource?
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) open 24/7
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) open 24/7
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