This webinar brings together the lived experience of individuals who have navigated homelessness and opioid use with the frontline perspectives of behavioral health professionals. This presentation blends personal narrative, community data, and practical strategies to illuminate how the opioid epidemic continues to shape the landscape of homelessness in Nevada. Participants will learn about the systemic and individual barriers that prevent people from accessing treatment, housing, and recovery supports. We will explore immediate, actionable steps along with system-level changes needed to create meaningful impact. The session moves beyond theory, offering real stories and solutions aimed at helping providers, community partners, and concerned community members become part of a more compassionate effective response.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, participants will:
- Integrate lived experience perspectives into an understanding of service delivery in our community.
- Describe the connections between homelessness and opioid use in Nevada.
- Identify barriers individuals face when accessing housing services and care.
- Explore practical changes that enhance rapport while increasing advocacy opportunities to reshape our behavioral healthcare system.
Presented by:
Dr. Krista Hales, DBH LADC-S, Associate Director, EMPOWERED Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Robert Banghart, Vice President of Community Integration, Shine A Light Foundation, Program Manager, CrossRoads.
Continuing Education Units: 1.5 CEUs
This training is approved for continuing education by the boards listed here.
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.