Prevention Action Alliance, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation and Everfi today announced a new digital education initiative aimed at combatting opioid misuse and empowering Ohio high school students with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about prescription medications.
Prevention Action Alliance and the AmerisourceBergen Foundation partnered with leading education technology innovator EVERFI, Inc. to provide the digital curriculum to select high schools across Southeastern Ohio, all at no cost to the schools.
Through interactive scenarios and self-guided activities, the digital course teaches students about prescription medications, specifically focusing on proper use, the safe disposal of unused or expired medications and strategies for how to handle situations involving misuse.
One in five high school seniors report that they have misused prescription drugs at least once, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Prescription drug misuse continues to be a major issue in Ohio, resulting in the death of 564 of our fellow Ohio residents in 2016,” said Marcie Seidel, executive director of Prevention Action Alliance. “The Prescription Drug Safety Network will help schools across Ohio create safer, healthier environments that are more conducive to learning and which protect their students.”
Through the partnership, Prevention Action Alliance and the AmerisourceBergen Foundation join the Prescription Drug Safety Network, the nation’s first public-private initiative to combat prescription drug misuse by providing prevention education to schools. The national coalition is comprised of a variety of partners, including state leaders, healthcare companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacies and foundations.
“The nation’s opioid crisis demands a collaborative approach, particularly at the community-level. This partnership reflects our commitment to provide communities in Ohio and across the nation with the resources needed to help prevent the misuse and abuse of opioids,” said Gina Clark, President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation who is also Executive Vice President and Chief Communications & Administration Officer at AmerisourceBergen.
“At AmerisourceBergen, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. Expanding access to educational resources, like Everfi’s evidence-based digital courses, is a critical component to helping combat the opioid abuse.”
Established in 2014, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community. As part of its multi-pronged approach to combat the nation’s opioid abuse, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation in December launched a municipal support program that aims to promote the safe disposal of opioids.
Through the program, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation will provide municipalities across the country with resources, like drug deactivation pouches and products, to deactivate expired or unused prescription medications.
“Prescription drug abuse has dealt a devastating blow to communities across the country, yet there are few initiatives aimed at positively preventing the abuse before it occurs,” said EVERFI CEO Tom Davidson. “We are extremely proud to welcome Prevention Action Alliance and the AmerisourceBergen Foundation to this network of leaders across multiple industries and thank them for their commitment to investing in prevention education.”
