This one-hour video will provide an overview of emerging opioids and related substances. Providers working in local communities need to be prepared for emerging substances and how they can complicate the response to opioid overdose. The session will begin with a description of opioid trends and emerging substances such as xylazine and nitazines, including mechanisms of action and acute health effects when substances are combined. The presentation will incorporate a discussion on how to implement effective approaches for emerging substances and strategies for overcoming barriers.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this presentation participants should be able to:
- Identify two emerging substances and their impacts on managing Opioid Use Disorders
- Describe three types of harm caused by opioids and emerging substance use, both in short- and long-term contexts
- Integrate three prevention tools and strategies to manage Opioid Use Disorders within participants’ communities
Presented by: Andrew Kurtz, MA, LMFT
Andrew Kurtz is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been a Clinical Specialist with UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs since 2014 and is the Director of UCLA ISAP’s Pacific Mental Health Awareness Training project. Mr. Kurtz has previously served as a program director in community mental health, specializing in optimizing access to integrated services through a same-day assessment center. He has served as the lead of a nationally-recognized Trauma-Informed Care implementation that provided staff trainings and program design assistance to improve trauma services, including developing a one-of-a-kind wellness center focused on reducing barriers to accessing care for individuals exposed to traumatic events. Mr. Kurtz has been the instructor for the Fieldwork Practicum course in UCLA Extension’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate Program since 2017. Mr. Kurtz has a background in research on cognitive and behavioral interventions for the treatment of first-episode schizophrenia diagnoses.
Funding for this activity was made possible in whole or in part by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director’s Office through the Fund for a Resilient Nevada, established in Nevada Revised Statutes 433.712 through 433.744. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in our courses are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence or its funders.