The University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy’s Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) has received a five-year $7.9 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to improve quality of care for patients with opioid use disorder across Pennsylvania. The project will establish the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEALing) Measures Center at Pitt, […]
Living with substance use disorder can be isolating and traumatic. The road to recovery is often long and full of setbacks. That’s why we celebrate those in recovery for their tenacity, bravery, and hope. Some research has shown that with time, people in recovery continue improving their lives, well-being, and relationships in ways that in […]
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 […]
Mercer Veterans Service Unit Welcomes QPR Training Opportunity PERU’s Northwest Pennsylvania (NW PA) Veteran Suicide Prevention Program operates on a three-pronged approach involving healthcare providers, community organizations, and Veterans and their families in the 15 counties of NW PA. We’d like to share an article about our QPR training that recently appeared on the Pennsylvania […]
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. […]
PITTSBURGH, March 6, 2023 — The monthly opioid overdose death (ODD) rate fell by 30% in Pennsylvania counties that implemented a novel community-focused strategy developed by University of Pittsburgh researchers, according to a new study published today in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. By analyzing counties that did or didn’t implement the […]
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 […]