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Opioid Overdose Response Teams: Best Practices

Course # 73315
Opioid Overdose Response Teams: Best Practices

Location

Mountain Area Health Education Center
Blue Ridge B
121 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803-2868

Dates & Times

Oct 8, 2025 8:30 AM – Oct 9, 2025 4:00 PM

Contact

Do you have event related questions or need help with registration?

MAHEC and Eshelman Innovation, housed within UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, present a two-day summit to share innovative tools, education, and insights on opioid overdose response teams and best practices throughout North Carolina. This summit geared especially for opioid response teams including PORT & QRT team members, EMS, peer support specialists, county staff, harm reduction organizations, health departments, and clinicians will provide two days of dynamic sessions on topics including post overdose response, harm reduction, and peer support.

Our day one keynote will be delivered by Tripp Winslow, MD, MPH, of Wake Forest School of Medicine and will provide an overview of post-overdose response on a state level. Our day two keynote will feature Melanie Bush, MPAff, of NCDHHS and Katie Alexander, BA, of Pisgah Legal Services and will discuss Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina.

In addition to these keynote topics, the inaugural PORT Summit will feature breakout sessions with many of the county EMS teams across North Carolina who have PORT teams. The PORT Summit will be a great opportunity for participants who have a lot of experience working in the PORT setting or are just getting started.

Scholarships are available Please apply here.

MAHEC engages in evaluation activities to better understand the impact of our programs. By registering for this course, you agree that we may use your personal information in evaluative research regarding this program. Any reports published will be de-identified and reported in aggregate format.

Summit Agenda Summit Faculty

Group Registrations

Registering 5 or more participants with one payment?

Group Rates Available:
$250/person for groups of 5 or more
To register and pay as a group of 5 or more, please contact the Registration Team at MAHEC.
Phone: 828.257.4475 | Email: MAHEC Registration



Planning Committee:

Jim Albright, BA, MS, NRP | Guilford County Emergency Services
Elizbeth Flemmng, MA, LCMHC | MAHEC
Tess Friesen, MPH | MAHEC
Alison Gunn, MPHNC | DHHS
Matt Hanis, BA | Goldie Health
Karen Lambert | MAHEC
Nina Oliver, MS | Carteret County Health Department
Kayla Rice, BA | MAHEC
Nidhi Sachdeva, MPH | NC Association of County Commissioners
Shuchin Shukla, MD, MPH | Goldie Health
Eric Southern, MSEM, CCP, Instructor II | Surry County Emergency Services
Randall Williams, MD, FACOG | Carteret County Health and Human Services
James (Tripp) Winslow, MD, MPH | DHHS
Tyler Yates, BSW, CADC | DHHS

Accommodations

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Asheville - Biltmore
115 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803
Reservations: 828-274-1800 or book online here
Rate of $139.00 plus taxes and fees

Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville - Biltmore
117 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803
Reservations: 828-277-1800 or book online here
Rate of $146.00 plus taxes and fees

Book by: September 7, 2025


In Collaboration With

UNC Chapel Hill



With Support From

Eshelman Innovation Logo NC Collaboratory

Audience

This program is designed for opioid response teams including PORT & QRT team members; EMS; Peer Support Specialists; County Staff; Harm Reduction Organizations; Health Departments; Clinicians including Physicians, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners; and others interested in this subject.

Objectives

check Analyze the state of MOUD in North Carolina, identify and discuss the challenges and barriers to treatment, and explore ways to increase access to MOUD
check Identify opportunities to collaborate with EMS agencies to improve data quality, share insights, and evaluate the effectiveness of overdose response programs
check Examine and discuss the impact of Medicaid expansion, review the improvements and barriers to enrollment and acknowledge the power of advocacy to improve the health of North Carolinians
check Outline the origins and principles of harm reduction, including the benefit of access to SSP and acknowledge ways it can be practiced at both the individual and the community level in urban, suburban and rural areas
check Demonstrate knowledge of innovative methods to integrate peer support and harm reduction practices with community paramedicine by utilizing collaborative efforts with community partners
check Discuss and differentiate the opioid settlement funding opportunities available in North Carolina and analyze local strategic planning efforts to maximize impact of the opioid settlement
check Consider the importance of equitable partnerships between government agencies or institutions and community-based organizations and foster strong relationships with proper support through a lens of respect, compassion, and empathy
check Explain the importance of addressing work stress and trauma exposure and demonstrate examples to address this in order to promote individual and team wellbeing

Fees

Cancellation Policy

Early Registration Fee

$290.00

Registration Fee

$305.00

Speakers

Jim L. Albright, NRP, BA, MS
Katie Alexander, BA
Mary Lynn Barrett, LCSW, MPH
April Bragg, PhD
Alicia Brunelli, PSS, CTR
Ainsley Bryce
Melanie Bush, MPAff
John A. Casstevens, CCP
Sonya Cheek, CPSS, CADC-R
Justin C. Garrity, MSW
Justin Greer, EMT-P, CP-C
Justin Hall, NCCPSS, EMT-B, CADC-R
Brandi N. Hayes, CNA, NCCPSS, CHW
Michael L. Hayes, NCCPSS, CCHW-VPP
James A. Hood
Claire W. Hubbard, EMT-P, RN
Brooke B. Lane, MPH, CHES
Michael Lyons, BS, Paramedic
Michelle L. Mathis
Marvin McCoy, RN,EMS, ACLS, PALS, NRP
Angela McKay, NCCPSS
Brandon Miller, BS, NRP, CP-C
Timothy Nolan, ANP
Lars Paul, BA
Jason Powell, BA, CCEMTP, CPSS
Nidhi Sachdeva, MPH
Mary Jo Silver, NCCPSS
Tara W. Tucker, MS, EMT-P, CP-C
Donnie R. Varnell, BS
Sierra White, NCEMT-P, MAT-C
Loftin Wilson
Tripp E. Winslow, III, MD, MPH

Additional Resources

Cancellation Policy

MAHEC has a pay-up-front policy for all CE programs. The only exceptions will be for pre-approved programs where an individual payment plan is appropriate. Registrations received without accompanying payment will not be processed and participants who have not paid the course fee will not be admitted into the program.

Unless otherwise noted in course materials, the following cancellation policy applies to all programs:

  • Cancellations must be in writing (fax, email, or mail).
  • Cancellations received more than 2 weeks prior to the event will receive 100% refund.
  • Cancellations received between two weeks and two full business days prior to the first day of the event are refunded at 70% of the registration fee subject to a minimum $25 cancellation fee.
  • No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received less than two full business days prior to the event.
  • No vouchers will be issued in lieu of a refund.
  • Transfers/substitute(s) are welcome (please notify us in advance of the program).
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