Training PA's First Responders

The Center for Addiction and Recovery Education (CARE) at Saint Joseph’s received a $1.2 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health for first responder education and training across the state’s 67 counties. The funds will be used to instruct groups on the topics of substance use disorder, the use of naloxone and stigma and implicit bias. CARE was founded with the goal of facilitating these types of initiatives, using connections between scholars and practitioners to address addiction and promote recovery.

“At a time when almost half of Americans’ lives have been affected by addiction, it’s more important than ever to launch the Phoenix Training Program and educate first responders on the causes and tools to fight the opioid epidemic,” says Stephen J. Forzato, CARE’s inaugural director. “This particular initiative enables us to help first responders become more skilled in connecting people to drug and alcohol treatment resources.”

The community-level Phoenix Training Program course “Addiction and Connection to Treatment: Tools for First Responders to Fight the Opioid Epidemic,” will be provided at no cost to first responders, including law enforcement, emergency medical service providers, firefighters and related professionals who have regular contact with persons in need of assistance.

The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, a nationally recognized addiction treatment, mental health and advocacy organization, will collaborate with CARE on curriculum content development and training.

“We are honored and grateful to work with Saint Joseph’s University and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to bring this comprehensive and impactful training program to first responders throughout the state,” says Stephen Delisi, M.D., medical director of professional education solutions at Hazelden Betty Ford. At a minimum, CARE and its partners will train a total of 90 agencies over the span of the grant.