Professor, Internal Medicine
Impacting the Opioid Crisis: Prevention, Education, and Practice for Non-Prescribing Providers
What You'll Learn
- Explain the factors that contributed to the current opioid crisis.
- Understand the pathophysiology of pain and its treatment, including what opioids are and how they work.
- Understand strategies to reduce unintended use and misuse, like prescribing guidelines, surveillance, safe disposal, and intervention messaging.
- Identify what strategies and tools you can employ to impact the safe use of opioids across clinical care settings and with a variety of populations.
6 Modules
18 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
About Impacting the Opioid Crisis: Prevention, Education, and Practice for Non-Prescribing Providers
This course will empower non-prescribing providers to directly impact the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States through increased knowledge and tools that will transform practice and policies. The course will inform you about the opioid epidemic and provide information and research about evidence-based strategies that are focused on prevention, intervention, education, or policy.
This open learning course is designed primarily for non-prescribing healthcare, behavioral health, dental and social services professionals, as well as graduate-level students in these fields. Other individuals may also benefit from this course such as educators and physicians.
As a learner, you have the ability to select any or all of the modules and topics that interest you. You can complete the course in a linear or non-linear structure according to your preferred viewing order. This course is taught by experts in the field of opioid prevention, intervention, treatment, and policy. Through lectures, panels and interviews, knowledge checks and quizzes, and additional readings and activities, you can explore topics that are most relevant to your work or practice.
After completing this activity, participants will be able to educate their patients on the safe use of opioids and the prevention of misuse, detect risk factors for opioid misuse and abuse, and refer patients to additional evidence-based resources.
The course was developed by three University of Michigan programs, including the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI), the Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network (OPEN) and the CDC-funded University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center.
The course consists of 6 “lessons” or modules of varying length, for a total commitment of about 16 hours.
Course modules include:
1. Epidemiology of the Opioid Crisis
2. Understanding of Pain
3. Prevention of Misuse and Abuse
4. Working with Patients and the Public
5. Addiction Treatment and Recovery
6. Public Policy
Skills You'll Gain
- Drug Education
- Health Education
- Public Health
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
The Impacting the Opioid Crisis: Prevention, Education, and Practice for Non-Prescribing Providers course empowers non-prescribing healthcare, behavioral health, dental, and social service professionals to address the opioid crisis through evidence-based strategies in prevention, intervention, education, and policy. Gain actionable knowledge to transform practices, support at-risk populations, and improve patient outcomes. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit is available for eligible participants.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Epidemiology of the Opioid Crisis
- Reading: Welcome & Syllabus
- Reading: Course Team and Acknowledgments
- Reading: Help us learn more about you!
- Video: Introduction
- Video: Opening Panel
- Reading: Navigating the Course
- Reading: In This Module
- Video: Module 1 Overview
- Reading: Epidemiology and History of the Opioid Crisis
- Video: Addiction Stigma and the Opioid Crisis
- Video: COVID-19's Impact on the Opioid Crisis
- Reading: Optional Readings and Resources
- Discussion Prompt: Examine Your Community
- Reading: Next Module
- Graded Assignment: Module 1 Practice Quiz
Module 2: Understanding Pain
- Video: Module 2 Overview
- Reading: In This Module
- Video: Pain and Pharmacology
- Reading: Pain and Pharmacology
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Perceptions of Pain
- Reading: Perceptions of Pain
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check: Perceptions of Pain
- Reading: Self-Reflection
- Discussion Prompt: Changes in Perspectives on Pain
- Reading: Next Module
- Graded Assignment: Practice Quiz - Module 2
Module 3: Prevention of Misuse and Abuse
- Video: Module 2 Overview
- Reading: In This Module
- Video: Pain and Pharmacology
- Reading: Pain and Pharmacology
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Perceptions of Pain
- Reading: Perceptions of Pain
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check: Perceptions of Pain
- Reading: Self-Reflection
- Discussion Prompt: Changes in Perspectives on Pain
- Reading: Next Module
- Graded Assignment: Practice Quiz - Module 2
Module 4: Working with Patients and the Public
- Video: Module 4 Overview
- Reading: In This Module
- Video: Managing Addiction Stigma in Treating Pain and OUD
- Video: Educating Patients on Safe Opioid Use
- Reading: Educating Patients on Safe Opioid Use
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Adolescents and Emerging Adults and Opioid Misuse
- Video: Opioid Misuse Among Pregnant Women
- Video: Opioid Use in Athletes
- Video: Chronic Pain and Substance Use Disorder
- Reading: Varying Needs of At-Risk Populations
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Safe Disposal
- Reading: The What, Why, and How of Safe Opioid Disposal
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Conversations about Pain Treatment
- Reading: Conversations about Pain Treatment
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Behavioral Interventions for Chronic Pain
- Reading: Behavioral Interventions for Chronic Pain
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Opt-In Program
- Video: Educating Patients about Opioid Rescue Drugs (Naloxone)
- Reading: Educating Patients about Opioid Rescue Drugs (Naloxone)
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Discussion Prompt: Standing Order for Your State
- Reading: Role Play about Naloxone
- Reading: Next Module
- Graded Assignment: Practice Quiz - Module 4
Module 5: Addiction Treatment and Recovery
- Video: Module 5 Overview
- Reading: In This Module
- Video: Opioid Use Disorder Assessment
- Reading: Opioid Use Disorder Assessment
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Plans
- Reading: Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Plans
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
- Reading: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
- Video: Initiation of Treatment in Emergency Departments
- Video: COVID's Impact on Treatment of OUD
- Reading: Optional Readings and Resources
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Discussion Prompt: MAT in Your State
- Reading: Next Module
- Graded Assignment: Practice Quiz - Module 5
Module 6: Public Policy
- Video: Public Policy
- Reading: In This Module
- Reading: Opioid Policy Overview - Required Readings
- Reading: Opioid Policy Overview - Suggested Readings
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: Surveillance
- Reading: Surveillance
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: State Delivery Models for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- Reading: State Delivery Models for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Reading: Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement - Required Readings
- Reading: Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement - Suggested Readings
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Video: How to Do Effective Advocacy
- Reading: How to Do Effective Advocacy
- Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check
- Discussion Prompt: Policy Impacts on You
- Discussion Prompt: Advocating for Policy Improvements
- Video: Closing Panel
- Reading: Congratulations
- Reading: Course Feedback
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online!
- Graded Assignment: Practice Quiz - Module 6
Grading Policy
To complete the course and earn a certificate, you must achieve an overall grade of 80%. All course assessments are in the form of Module Review Quizzes, each worth 16.66% (100% of your course grade).
Professor of Clinical Pharmacy
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
