Police officers and other first responders often encounter persons with opioid, stimulant, and other substance use disorders (SUD) in their worst moments…in the midst of a drug-related crime, a child maltreatment report, or an overdose. When first responders see people repeatedly in the same situation, it’s easy to become frustrated or feel less hope for a successful outcome. These experiences can lead to biases toward people with SUD, which can inhibit first responders’ willingness to participate in programs meant to link individuals in need to treatment.
Learning about the factors that contribute to addiction, as well as the challenges to obtaining treatment faced by people with SUD, can help reduce the biases first responders may feel toward people with SUD.
This webinar will explain how many people begin to misuse both legal and illegal drugs including the impact of childhood trauma, the effects of substances on brain chemistry and how changes to brain chemistry can impact the individual’s behavior, and barriers to treatment for people with SUD. The presenter will also demonstrate how police officers, other first responders, medical, behavioral health, and human services staff can contribute to, and more effectively support, long-term recovery and other positive outcomes for individual’s affected by opioids, stimulants, and other substances.