LMU to host virtual opioid education symposium

Published 4:59 pm Friday, April 17, 2020

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HARROGATE — Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM), will host the 2020 Opioid Education Symposium on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Opioid Abuse, Monday, April 20, from 12:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In response to COVID-19 and in the interest of community health and safety, this symposium will be run completely online for all attendees. Please register using this link: www.LMUnet.edu/opioid-registration. Once you have registered you will receive a link to view the symposium as well as pre-read materials.

Community leaders and service oriented front-line law enforcement, paramedics, and other trained medical professionals are invited to attend. The event is also open but not limited to professional students from programs such as osteopathic medical education, physician assistant, law, family nurse practitioner, criminal justice, pharmacy and social work.

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“This year’s symposium will focus on adverse childhood experiences and how they increase a person’s risk of opioid abuse,” said Dr. Sherry Jimenez, associate dean of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) at LMU-DCOM. “Last year’s symposium culminated in a number of discussions surrounding where some substance abuse disorder begins, resulting in unfinished conversation on ACEs. We thought it pertinent to give platform to this in follow-up to the successful discourse that took place last year.”

It is widely documented that ACEs and serious childhood trauma can lead to substance abuse. A recent study in the September 2019 issue of the Addictive Behaviors, revealed that each increase in the number of adverse childhood experiences a person has, increases the odds of relapsing during opioid treatment by 17 percent. Conversely, each treatment at a clinic with trauma-informed care or counseling reduced the relapse rate by 2 percent.

The online symposium aims to increase awareness of the devastating effects of the opioid abuse epidemic while educating both health professions students and the community on recognizing the potential risks of opioid abuse associated with ACEs as well as the importance of engaging individuals that have suffered ACEs from a trauma informed perspective.

“This is especially important for rural communities that are at high risk for opioid use and also experience a higher ACEs score than urban settings,” said Jimenez. “There will be key takeaways for students, health care providers, community leaders, front line law enforcement and other service-oriented care providers. All are encouraged to attend.

For questions about the event or information on how to register to attend, contact Jeremy Buchanan at jeremy.buchanan@LMUnet.edu

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine is located on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, with an additional location at LMU-Knoxville. LMU-DCOM is an integral part of LMU’s values-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of osteopathic physicians to provide health care in the often underserved region of Appalachia and beyond. For more information about LMU-DCOM, call 1-800-325-0900, ext. 7082, email dcom@LMUnet.edu, or visit us online at http://med.LMUnet.edu.