Naloxone is one of the most effective tools to prevent opioid overdose deaths, yet stigma continues to limit its acceptance, distribution, and use. Misconceptions about naloxone, substance use, and the people who carry or administer it create barriers in healthcare settings, community organizations, between first responders, and the public. This webinar explores the roots of naloxone-related stigma, its impact on overdose prevention efforts, and practical strategies for creating supportive, stigma-free environments. Participants will leave with evidence-informed approaches to normalize naloxone as a standard public health intervention and strengthen overdose prevention efforts within their communities.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify special risk factors and clinical signs associated with opioid overdose, as well as the historical and current medical uses of opioid drugs and related issues in the United States.
- Describe how stigma related to opioid use disorder, opioid overdose, and naloxone can create barriers to overdose prevention and access to lifesaving care.
- Identify common misconceptions about naloxone and apply evidence-based messaging, person-centered language, and education strategies to reduce stigma.
- Demonstrate how to provide emergency assistance during an opioid overdose, including the administration of intranasal naloxone.
- Develop practical approaches to normalize the distribution, carrying, and administration of naloxone across healthcare, behavioral health, public safety, and community settings.
- Prepare to educate and train community members to respond to an opioid overdose by communicating the four main points of overdose response.