The Opioid Epidemic
Real People, Real Progress
COVID-19: Meeting the Needs of Those Affected by Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness
Healthcare/Workforce Development
Technology has become increasingly important to the efficiency of medical practices. The landscape is becoming more patient-centered, featuring a range of technologies capable of remotely monitoring patients’ physical and emotional states.
INSIGHTS INTO NEEDS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES
Life in many rural communities has been transformed from the images of rustic landscapes, porch swings, and county fairs to the loss of economic opportunities and community supports. In many rural areas, these changes have contributed to the complexities of opioid misuse and addiction and associated health challenges. Jobs like manufacturing, farming, and mining tend to have high injury/reinjury rates that can lead to pain and, possibly, to the use of more painkillers.Â
Download Our OPIOID brochure
What makes JBS staff different when it comes to dealing with the complexities of the opioid epidemic? We have a comprehensive in-house knowledge base among dozens of subject matter experts and innovative, cross-systems solutions that make a difference. Download our brochure and learn more about our project work.
Experience with Vulnerable Populations
Our substance abuse work — particularly in opioids — cuts across many vulnerable populations including pregnant, postpartum and parenting women, people involved with the criminal justice system, adolescents, patients with comorbidities such as mental health issues, and communities with limited access to care.
CME Trainings for Health Providers
JBS has created curricula for a range of specialized audiences, from first responders to pharmacists to family members to prisoner re-entry programs. We designed a continuing medical education (CME) program completed by more than  27,300 clinicians to date through a technical assistance project.
Understanding of Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder
Treating opioid use disorder (OUD) with medications and behavioral health support offers opioid-dependent patients a path toward recovery. While medications do not cure addiction, they lessen the cravings and withdrawal symptoms and therefore provide the opportunity for individuals to get back on track and maintain their recovery over time.
Sign Up for JBS Opioid Updates
Integration of Primary Care & Behavioral Health
JBS has had a unique role in facilitating the integration of primary care and behavioral health. The opioid epidemic presented an opportunity for the two fields to collaborate and improve the quality of treatment.
Subject Matter Experts
Since our beginning, JBS has worked on the frontlines of every major drug epidemic that has plagued the U.S., including crack cocaine, club drugs, inhalants, steroids, and crystal meth — and most recently, the skyrocketing misuse of prescription opioids and heroin.
The Living Room Immersive Experience
Social service administrators can use this 360-degree technology-driven training prototype JBS developed to educate field staff on identifying key indicators of potential prescription misuse. The navigation is prompted by audio, so the sound must be enabled during the use of this tool.
This 3-8 minute training requires a computer with a mouse (or touch screen) and audio speakers (headphones are preferred). To begin, click the image and then click the play button in the center of the screen. If you have questions about this tool, contact MEchevarria@JBSinternational.com.

Breastfeeding with Opioid Use Disorder

Breastfeeding is recommended for women with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are being treated with methadone or buprenorphine. Download our infographic to learn more.
The Opioid Epidemic Ravaging America

Download the infographic to learn about the many ways U.S. communities are impacted by or involved in the opioid epidemic.
Experts For Your Project
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Carlos AlcarazTechnical Expert Lead
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Pamela BastonTechnical Expert Lead
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Melinda CampopianoSenior Medical Advisor
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Susan HayashiVice President/Project Director
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Joseph HydeTechnical Expert Lead
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Angie JonesTechnical Expert Lead
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Jennifer KastenPresident
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Kathleen MeyersTechnical Expert Lead
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Joseph PerpichSenior Medical Advisor
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John RobertsSenior Technical Assistance Manager
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Kimberly WalshTechnical Expert Lead
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Aldrenna WilliamsTechnical Expert Lead
About Our Work
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Expanding Access to CareDownload pdf
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Naloxone CE for PharmacistsVisit Website
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Opioid Medications and Your Pet: Know the FactsDownload pdf
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Real People, Real Progress: Innovative Approaches to Breaking the Opioid Cycle and Achieving Intergenerational ImpactDownload pdf
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Fighting the Opioid Epidemic in Rural AmericaDownload pdf
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HRSA Grand ChallengeDownload pdf
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Child Welfare and Family WellbeingDownload pdf
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Vision Session: Getting It Right: Principles of Impactful and Sustainable Community Responses to Substance Use CrisesDownload pdf
Take A Deeper Look at What Sets Us Apart
Below is a sampling of JBS’s opioids-related projects:
CME/CE Training for Healthcare Providers
- Prescription medication misuse, abuse, overdose, safe prescribing, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) – trained more than 104,000 medical professionals
- Clinical Challenges in Opioid Prescribing: Balancing Safety and Efficacy – 7 publications
- NIDA Adolescent Substance Use and Rx Medication Misuse CME/CE – trained 14,000 healthcare workers and issued 5,000 CMEs/CEs
- TA to support Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000-waivered physician trainings – 11 onsite TA events
- Naloxone Overdose Prevention and Education Program
- MAT Regional Training: Drug Court and MAT Successes – trained 18 clinicians
Healthcare Workforce Development
- Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women With Opioid Use Disorder and Their Infants
- "Opioid Use Disorders (OUD): What Pediatricians Should Know" publication
- Small, regional trainings with medical professionals to provide training to fight the opioid epidemic and opioid use disorder
- State TA prescriber guidelines (PA)
- Support OTP accreditation/certification and conduct medical education training in eight states per year
Improved Access to Care
- Online course: Overcoming Barriers to Prescribing Buprenorphine
- Sustainability planning for State of Hawaii
- TA to expand MAT through mobile services (in CO, DC, NV, OK, and PR)
- Multi-state meetings on Expanding Access and Opioid-Related Overdose Policies and Practices
Integration of Primary Care and Behavioral Health
- SAMHSA Buprenorphine Summit, MAT and Benzodiazepine Meeting, and a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Tele-Substance Use Treatment Working Group resulting in Guide for Policy Change
- Outreach and Education to Healthcare Providers on Substance Use – 12 Curriculum Resources
Outreach to Vulnerable Populations
- Development and implementation of face-to- face and virtual training modules for use with child welfare professionals and family court judicial staff including opioid-specific toolkits, child welfare motivational interviewing scripts, child welfare supervision learning activities, and a judicial bench guide
- Journal of Addiction Medicine publication (2017): "Treating women who are pregnant and postpartum for opioid use disorders and the concurrent care of their infants and children: Literature review to support national guidance"
- Webinar: MAT in Correctional Settings
Training and Technical Assistance for Treating OUD with Medications and Recovery Support
- Social marketing campaigns to overcome resistance to MAT (in GA, KY, NY, OK, and VT)
- TA to strengthen clinical and management systems of 28 state grantees that include 95 individual MAT providers
Program Evaluation
- Treatment Programs and Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Program Evaluation demonstrating lack of coordinated MAT services for PPW residents
- State TA on data collection for prevention of non-medical use of prescription opioids (in NM)



