According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 130 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. A generous donation was recently made to Harvard Medical School (HMS) in an effort to target addiction prevention and treatment strategies in communities hit hard by the opioid epidemic.
Eugenio Madero, CEO of Rassini International, an auto parts manufacturer with plants in Michigan and Ohio, was personally motivated to address this critical issue.
Ohio, home to a Rassini manufacturing plant, has one of the five highest rates opioid overdose deaths between US states, an average of 14 deaths per dayaccording to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Ohio Governor's Office.
“Given our company's ties to communities in the Midwest, and particularly Ohio and Michigan, we wanted to contribute to this very important effort,” said Madero.
This gift establishes the Eugenio Madero Family Medical Education Fund, which helped create a recent expanded educational program to address the opioid epidemic in Northwest Ohio.
Supported by the HMS Office of Outreach, a two-day program was hosted by Northwest State Community College in Archbold, Ohio and Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers, serving Williams County, Ohio. The events were attended by members of the local community, health care providers and policy makers.
“HMS appreciates the vision, leadership and support of Eugenio Madero and his family. We are so pleased with the success of these initiatives and are committed to bringing opioid awareness, treatment and prevention education to other communities,” said David Roberts, HMS dean for external education.
Major challenges
The program kicked off on April 12, with a screening of the award-winning documentary “The Providers,” which chronicles the experience of three healthcare professionals caring for people in a rural American community struggling with a physician shortage and the ravages of the opioid epidemic.
Filmmaker Anna Moot-Levin and moviegoers Leslie Hayes and Chris Ruge were on hand to discuss the film and answer audience questions.
“The opioid and mental health crises facing Northwest Ohio present major challenges spanning health care, legal services and addiction services,” said Michael Thomson, president of Northwest State Community College. “Although the task seems daunting, we can make a measurable difference in this crisis by working together using proven best practices from other rural communities.”
The program included a continuing education course on opioid addiction treatment attended by more than 70 local providers.
The course was designed and delivered by HMS faculty members Mark Albanese, Sarah Bernstein, David Boyce, Jessica R. Gray, and Zev Schuman-Olivier, led by course director Catherine Finn, associate editor for Harvard Health Publishing.
The latest clinical and research information on opioid abuse prevention and addiction treatment in adults, adolescents, and pregnant women is presented. The course also covered treating co-occurring behavioral disorders, pain management with medication, and other mindfulness-based approaches and practices to improve resilience in both patients and providers.
“It's so good to see leaders in the medical field share that showing compassion is an important part of healing trauma and addiction,” noted one participant.
The program concluded with an open town forum for members of the local community. It featured a panel of speakers representing health care, politics and law enforcement.
Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown sent a video message praising local efforts to fight opioid addiction.
“Harvard Medical School is key to helping support affected communities and shape public policy around this pervasive and devastating health problem,” Madero said.
