Heroin and prescription opioid abuse in Louisville focus of conversation, training

A timely conversation on prescription opioid abuse and the national heroin epidemic is among the events scheduled during National Public Health Week, April 4-10. The University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) Student Council is joining the UofL PEACC Center, BRICC Coalition and other groups to host a panel discussion and training on Wed., April 6 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Avenue - Cardinal Towne, 325 W. Cardinal Blvd. Panelists will include representatives from the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition, the Louisville Metro Police Department Narcotics Unit, BRICC Coalition and Metro Council District 6. A licensed Narcan™ instructor from the local chapter of Young People in Recovery will train students on use of the opiate antidote Narcan™ (naloxone), which can be used to reverse an opioid overdose. This training builds on other intervention activities of UofL students to address a variety of public health issues. A number of medical, nursing and public health students have opted to become state certified HIV testers, and some have trained to help Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness with the needle exchange program designed to reduce the spread of HIV and blood-borne diseases. Among other National Public Health Week activities are an Instagram contest and lunch and learn discussion with Brandy Kelly Pryor, PhD, associate professor in the SPHIS Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences and director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness Center for Health Equity. Find the complete listing of events on the SPHIS website. Photo provided by Wikimedia Commons.