SUD 101 Course 8: Life Saving Overdose Prevention, Response, and Safety Planning-Facilitation Guide

Pdf Summary

This facilitation guide supports PCSS-MOUD learners in leading an interprofessional team discussion after Course 8 on life-saving overdose prevention, response, and safety planning. It is designed to help translate course learning into practical workflow and system changes that improve care for patients with substance use disorders (SUD), recognizing that teams and settings differ.<br /><br />The guide offers planning considerations (e.g., how many team members completed the course, whether to share key takeaways versus having everyone take the course, and how to adapt content for students). For teams who did not complete the course, facilitators are encouraged to avoid lecturing by sharing 2–3 key takeaways, using them to spark discussion, and inviting colleagues to complete the free course. If the team has taken the course, the discussion should focus on reflection, identifying barriers (especially to naloxone access and safety planning), and creating a shared commitment to change with accountability and follow-up.<br /><br />For student audiences, the guide recommends focusing on team roles, overdose risk factors, and patient barriers; using structured reflection prompts; and making the session experiential through breakout groups, role-plays, and brief journaling.<br /><br />The discussion purpose is to strengthen the team’s ability to prevent, recognize, and respond to opioid overdose and to support individualized patient safety planning. A suggested agenda includes framing the need for the meeting, reflecting on core concepts, identifying what should change in practice and how, and making commitments to action, with optional case-based and workflow sessions.<br /><br />Tools include sample facilitator questions, two case discussions (recurrent overdose with polysubstance use; post-withdrawal patient declining MOUD), and an interprofessional role-mapping worksheet to identify gaps/duplications and redesign responsibilities. Evaluation suggestions include pre/post survey items and outcome metrics such as documentation of overdose risk assessments, overdose education/safety plans, naloxone discussions, and MOUD offers/initiations.

Asset Subtitle

A tool to facilitate discussion and implementation within clinical teams

Keywords

PCSS-MOUD

overdose prevention

opioid overdose response

naloxone access

patient safety planning

interprofessional team discussion

substance use disorder care

facilitation guide

workflow and system change

case-based learning