The Current State of Missouri’s Overdose Crisis & Recent Mitigation Strategies
Speaker(s):
Presentation:
This talk will describe the recent landscape of drug use and overdose deaths in Missouri, including the ever-expanding role of fentanyl in our drug supply and the increase in deaths involving stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. Though ongoing initiatives funded by the State Opioid Response grant have understandably continued to focus on increasing access to medical treatments for Opioid Use Disorder and opioid-related harm reduction initiatives, the necessity of greater implementation of stimulant-focused intervention strategies is clear. To that end, this presentation will provide an overview of Missouri’s Contingency Management pilot programs for people with Stimulant Use Disorder, as well as harm reduction training, education, and drug checking resources designed for people who use stimulants. Additional attention will be paid to the widening racial disparities between Black and White Missourians regarding addiction treatment outcomes and overdose fatalities, including highlights of what is being done at the state and local levels to reduce deaths among those at highest-risk. Strategies for data-driven drug policy, funding, and community engagement will be highlighted.
Objectives:
- Describe the difference between fentanyl and stimulant contamination vs. co-use of both substances
- Define the behavioral basis of Contingency Management as a treatment approach
- Describe how and why individuals who use drugs may benefit from using fentanyl test strips
