Since 2016, the Overdose Reduction Technical Assistance Center (ORTAC) has helped Pennsylvania (PA) communities find ways to reduce or eliminate the impact of opioid use, overdoses, and overdose deaths. The project was designed to take a cooperative, solutions-oriented, public health approach to overdose prevention. It empowered and supported PA residents in building sustainable coalitions and […]
On March 29, 2023, naloxone (also known by the brand name Narcan) became available without a prescription at pharmacies across the United States. In an article on The Conversation, PERU’s Dr. Janice Pringle, along with University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy colleagues Dr. Lucas Berenbrok and Dr. Joni Carroll, explain why this decision is a […]
Dr. Janice Pringle, PERU’s Executive Director, appeared on WTAE Pittsburgh to highlight that community-led efforts reduced overdose deaths by 30 percent and saved 1,818 lives. The interview referred to the recent article, “Pennsylvania’s Community Coordination Strategy to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths,” published by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
On March 6, Dr. Janice Pringle appeared on WESA’s the Confluence. She spoke with host Kevin Gavin about the impact of PERU’s Overdose Reduction and Technical Assistance Center (ORTAC). Listen to the full interview (7 minutes 5 seconds) at the Confluence. Dr. Pringle was also a guest on The Rick Dayton Show on KDKA Radio. […]
Also read the the Observer-Reporter story about the partnership between Green County and SUPPORT. Greene County, Pennsylvania, and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Pharmacy’s Program Evaluation Research Unit (PERU) launched the Substance Use Prevention and Promotion of Overdose Reduction and Treatment (SUPPORT) program to combat the opioid crisis and emphasize prevention, treatment, and recovery […]
Pittsburgh’s WTAE TV featured the work of the Strategies to Coordinate Overdose Prevention Efforts (SCOPE) program on September 8, 2022. The story focuses on SCOPE’s education and training for first responders such as emergency medical service, police, and firefighters. Erica Wasik and Chip Franklin talk about the program and how naloxone can save lives. Watch […]
The Connect2Care mobile application offers screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment services to help health care providers identify and treat individuals who may be at risk for substance use and mental health disorders. The app, which is aimed at health care providers, pharmacists and others who work with patients at risk of substance use […]
We at the Strategies to Coordinate Overdose Prevention Efforts (SCOPE) are proud to highlight the hard work of the City of Bethlehem Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Under the leadership of Jeffrey Fritz, Paramedic Supervisor, they have been able to have their entire full-time staff complete the SCOPE First Responders training program. Working alongside the Bethlehem […]