Human services faculty from across the University of Maine System, collaborated to host educational events across multiple campuses in recognition of National Recovery Month this September. These events are consistent with the System’s commitment to promote safer campuses and communities through education.
Participants who attended the training sessions learned to recognize the signs of a drug overdose, how Naloxone (Narcan) reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, and how to administer it. Those attending in-person had access to Naloxone doses to take home for personal preparedness and keep on hand for emergencies.
Across the four universities, a total of 105 campus and community members attended and participated in these training courses. Dr. St. Pierre from UMA shared, “We continue to look for ways to educate all of our students about substance use disorders and recovery. I am very grateful to have faculty colleagues across our System who are committed to educating all of our academic communities about the risk of overdoses and that recovery is possible.”
The four faculty members who hosted either on-site or hybrid (in-person plus live online participation) events at their respective institutions included Dr. Nicole Achey, assistant professor of rehabilitation and human services at the University of Maine at Farmington; Dr. Beverly Wagner, bachelor of social work program director and assistant professor of social work at the University of Maine at Presque Isle; Dr. Shawn Graham, associate professor of counseling at the University of Maine at Fort Kent; and Wendy St. Pierre, associate professor of mental health and human services at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA).
The faculty were proud of their efforts to educate both their campus communities and the general public about overdoses and hope to work together again next September to offer the overdose training across their campuses.