Overview
The Texas A&M University Health Science Center Opioid Task Force was established in January 2018 with an intent to combat the growing opioid epidemic and public health emergency through research, education, and community outreach. The initial concept was to ensure that each health science student would be knowledgeable about the opioid epidemic and familiar with the opioid action plan for reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. Over the past five years, the Task force has broadened its reach to create a multitude of campus-wide activities as well as assisting local communities throughout Texas.
Vision
To improve the health and well-being of all Texans by reducing burdens from the current opioid epidemic through collaborative action across the health sciences.
Mission
The Texas A&M University Health Science Center Opioid Task Force serves as a focal point for research, education, and practice issues critical to addressing the opioid epidemic and its impact on persons, families, communities, and the health care system.
Goal: Diminish escalating negative impacts through collaborative action.
“This task force is like a spark plug, it has ignited the collaborative research necessary to address the opioid epidemic. We already had the drivers, as in the individual researchers, and now our fleet of scholar cars is moving down the road. Together we hold the collective map to drive our research, practice and education across Texas and the nation to comprehensively tackle this national emergency.”
MARCIA G. ORY, PHD, MPH
Chair, Opioid Task Force
Background
Since 2018, members of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center Opioid Task Force (TAMU OTF) under the leadership of Drs. Joy Alonzo and Marcia Ory have been actively engaged in interventions and innovation regarding the Opioid Crisis in Texas and the US. With active involvement across the Texas A&M Health Science Center, TAMU OTF is uniquely positioned to scale up current interventions to support training and distribution of information and materials to help address the opioid crisis throughout Texas and beyond.
“Texas needs to improve long-term treatment options for people with substance-use disorder, who are working to end their dependence on opioids. Texas needs long-term treatment for folks that need this care to recover from opioid-use disorder, which is a real disease with real doctors and real treatments and evidence-based protocols. And you can recover.”
JOY ALONZO, PHARMD
Co-Chair, Opioid Task Force
Activities
TAMU OTF has a comprehensive network of activities that are necessary to address the Opioid Crisis in Texas and ensure a response that has a direct measurable positive impact on all those in the state who have been negatively affected by opioid use disorder (OUD) and its consequences. These recommended interventions are derived from the experience of the TAMU OTF, clinical, academic and community partners, the AMA Opioid Task Force National Roadmap, and the CDC Opioid Crisis Recommendations. Building upon years of experience in opioid overdose prevention, treatment and recovery, the TAMU OTF (with appropriate resources) is helping to conceptualize and lead education and response efforts across the state. TAMU OTF actively partners and coordinates with organizations in health care, public health, emergency management, communities, schools, law enforcement and criminal justice.
TAMU OTF is actively providing support for:
- Statewide training and distribution of Naloxone rescue kits and harm reduction initiatives.
- Opioid overdose education and Naloxone administration training.
- Statewide delivery of OUD prevention education for children, youth, and young adults delivered through public schools, community colleges, and universities available through traditional classroom delivery and other media outlets such as online learning communities.
- Training and mentoring for clinicians regarding Medication Assisted Treatment to treat Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) to include the TAMU EMPOWER ECHO online learning community.
- Assisting and training clinicians regarding DEA X-waiver training.
- Establishing and supporting community substance use disorder (SUD) coalitions.
- Training regarding impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Opioid Crisis and the effects of stigma on care and prevention education for SUD/OUD.
