Target Audience: This activity is designed for counselors, interprofessional teams, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, students and educators. This activity is accredited for social workers.

Webinar Description: This presentation will review the origins and trajectory of the current opioid epidemic, now described as being in its fourth wave. Considered will be the current epidemiology of the epidemic, particularly opioid-overdose related fatalities; the effectiveness of and potential gaps in current harm reduction strategies such as overdose education and naloxone distribution and drug checking services that provide fentanyl and xylazine test strips or on-site testing; principal barriers to expansion of buprenorphine prescribing among health care providers; and medication for opioid use disorder treatment initiation and engagement; and the science underscoring the significance of co-occurring tobacco use disorder among persons addicted to opioids and entering MOUD treatment.

Educational Objectives:

• Identify the 4 historical “waves” of the opioid epidemic and the primary factors driving overdose related fatalities at present.
• Identify the epidemiological groups disproportionately.
• Review how specific drug use risk behaviors interact with psychosocial factors to increase risk for opioid overdoses.
• Summarize how the harm reduction approach has recently been re-interpreted from the original models, making it potentially less effective for treatment initiation.

Continuing Education information:

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/23/2024-1/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credits.

Requirements for successful activity completion:

In order to successfully complete this activity and obtain your Certificate:

1. Create a free account with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
2. Complete webinar content.
3. Complete the activities posttest. Participants must complete the posttest and pass with a score of 80% or higher. If they do not pass the posttest on their first attempt, they will be allowed to re-test two additional times.
4. Complete the required evaluation(s).
5. After completing the evaluation, participants will be able to access their certificate through their Learning Academy dashboard. The certificate can be downloaded and accessed through the CSWE Learning Academy anytime.