Jun 24, 2026

Hello,

At OPEN, we believe harm reduction is a compassionate, person-centered approach that promotes both safety and dignity. Through our programs and resources, we strive to educate and support people who use drugs (PWUD), healthcare providers, and community leaders across Michigan.

Our Naloxone Initiative emphasizes the importance of having naloxone readily available and empowers individuals to recognize and respond to a suspected overdose, helping save lives when every second counts.

Through our Safe Use Supplies Initiative, we connect communities with essential harm reduction resources, including education on fentanyl and xylazine test strips, wound care supplies, and information on how to access sterile syringes. By increasing awareness and access to these tools, we help reduce preventable harms and support healthier outcomes.

Together, we can strengthen harm reduction efforts, build healthier communities, and create a safer, more informed Michigan for everyone.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer!

Happy Summer!

Ellie Sanborn

OPEN Program Manager

Explore Our Harm Reduction Initiatives

NEW NALOXONE PAGE AND ACCESS MAP

OPEN is excited to announce the launch of our new Naloxone webpage, now available to communities across Michigan!

Designed with accessibility and ease of use in mind, this resource helps individuals learn about the importance of naloxone, how to administer it during a suspected overdose, and where to access this life-saving medication.

The new webpage also features OPEN’s Naloxone Access Map, an interactive tool that helps users locate local harm reduction organizations, naloxone vending machines, and over-the-counter pharmacies where naloxone can be purchased or obtained free of charge.

We invite you to explore the new page and share these resources with your community to help expand access to overdose prevention tools and save lives.

Explore Our New Naloxone Website

MEDICATION DISPOSAL POUCHES PROGRAM

We all know the importance of the safe storage + disposal of medications; now it’s time to empower others! Apply today for free case(s) of Deterra Medication Deactivation Pouches that you can distribute to members of your community via your organization.

Apply Today

OVERDOSE RESCUE TRAINING EDUCATION PROGRAM

Knowing how to respond to an overdose is an important skill that can save a life. OPEN’s expert-led naloxone training will teach you everything you need to know to take action during an opioid overdose.

Schedule a Training Session

UPCOMING EVENTS

For prescribers, all webinar credits qualify for the DEA required SUD training. FREE CME, MCBAP and Social Work CE credits.

Proactive Pain Practice Part 1: Anticipating and Addressing Perioperative Pain Management Needs in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder

September 10, 2026

@ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

1.0 CE Credit pending

CME, MCBAP, SW

Presenter:

Jillian DiClemente, PharmD

Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) who are receiving medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) present unique challenges in the perioperative setting. This webinar will review best practices for managing acute surgical pain while maintaining continuity of MOUD, minimizing risk for return to use, and promoting safe and effective analgesia. Through a series of case vignettes, participants will explore strategies to optimize analgesia in the perioperative period for patients with OUD by applying evidence-based medication management approaches in parallel with multidisciplinary care coordination strategies.

Proactive Pain Practice Part 2: Tackling Complex Pain When Surgery is Part of the Plan

September 17, 2026

@ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

1.0 CE Credit pending

CME, MCBAP, SW

Presenter:

Jillian DiClemente, PharmD

Patients with chronic and complex pain conditions often present unique challenges in the perioperative setting, including opioid tolerance, central sensitization, and coexisting medical or behavioral health conditions. This webinar will review evidence-based strategies for assessing and managing surgical pain in this population. Participants will explore multimodal analgesia, individualized care planning, and interdisciplinary coordination to optimize pain control, improve recovery outcomes, and enhance patient safety.

Proactive Pain Practice Part 3: Perioperative Pain Conversations in Patients with SUD or Long-Term Opioid Therapy

September 24, 2026

@ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

1.0 CE Credit pending

CME, MCBAP, SW

Presenter:

Jillian DiClemente, PharmD

Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) or those receiving long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) often face unique challenges during the perioperative period, including altered pain tolerance, opioid dependence, and increased risk of relapse or complications. This webinar provides practical, patient-centered guidance for clinicians on how to proactively educate and counsel these patients about realistic pain expectations, multimodal pain strategies, and safe opioid use before and after surgery. Participants will gain communication tools and structured approaches to reduce stigma, build trust, and support safer, more effective perioperative pain management and recovery.

Introduction to Treating Patients with Buprenorphine for Primary Care Providers

October 12, 2026

@ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

4.0 CME Credits pending

Presenters:

Chris Frank, MD, Ph.D.

Eliza Hutchinson, MD, FASM

Primary Care Providers (Physicians and Advanced Practice Professionals) who attend this MOUD training are eligible to receive a $250 incentive.

PUBLICATIONS THIS QUARTER

Access literature with OPEN’s publication portfolio. We use evidence to inform public health policy and practice recommendations.

Two-part Statistical Model for Identifying Baseline Predictors of Chronic Postsurgical Pain

• Anesthesiology, 4/3/2026
• To identify baseline predictors of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP), the study applied a two-part statistical model that separately estimated the probability of any pain and the severity of pain among those with pain.
• Among a prospective cohort of 3,925 surgical patients, the two-part model was compared with traditional linear regression using repeated training/testing splits (3,000 training; 925 testing) across 400 iterations.
• The two-part model identified 7 additional baseline predictors of CPSP (race, education level, ASA classification, overall body pain, widespread pain, symptom severity index, and anxiety), indicating improved identification of risk factors compared with standard regression approaches.

US Trends in Long-Term Opioid Therapy

• JAMA, 4/8/2026
• To assess national trends in long-term opioid therapy (LTOT), this observational study analyzed the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database capturing 92% of US retail pharmacy prescriptions from 2015–2023, defining LTOT as opioid use ≥90 days with ≥120 days’ supply or ≥10 fills within 180 days.
• Between 2015 and 2023, 16,337,529 LTOT episodes occurred among 13,311,584 patients, with the number of patients receiving LTOT declining from 5.6 million to 4.2 million (−24.3%), while mean daily morphine milligram equivalents decreased from 47.9 to 38.6.
• Despite declining LTOT prevalence, coprescribing increased from 68.5% to 72.3%—with benzodiazepine overlap decreasing (43.8%→33.5%) but gabapentinoid (47.0%→58.7%) and stimulant (5.9%→6.7%) coprescribing increasing—indicating persistent safety concerns among patients receiving long-term opioid therapy.

High-Deductible Health Plan Enrollment and Buprenorphine Dispensing

• JAMA, 5/1/2026
• This study evaluated whether switching from a non-HDHP to an HDHP was associated with changes in buprenorphine dispensing and OUD-related health care visits among privately insured adults with OUD.
• Using a repeated cross-sectional difference-in-differences analysis of 2010–2023 Optum claims data, the study compared patients who switched to an HDHP with those who remained in a non-HDHP among 14,801 adults with baseline buprenorphine dispensing.
• Switching to an HDHP was associated with 29.0 fewer days of active buprenorphine prescriptions per year, while deductible increases above $1,250 were associated with 1.0 fewer OUD-related outpatient visit per year.

Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Opioid Prescribing at Discharge for Inpatients Undergoing Surgery (LESS Study): An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

• Anesthesiology, 5/21/2026
• This study evaluated whether a system-wide clinical decision support intervention reduced potentially unnecessary opioid prescribing among adult surgical patients who had not received opioids in the 24 hours before discharge.
• Using an interrupted time series design, the study compared 10,422 pre-intervention and 11,795 post-intervention discharges across two-year periods before and after implementation.
• After the intervention, mean oxycodone prescribed at discharge decreased from 27.4 MME to 16.5 MME per discharge; any oxycodone prescribing decreased from 21% to 18%.

Discussion: A Geospatial Analysis of State-Level Access to Registered U.S. Replantation Centers

• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 5/27/2026
• This discussion highlights major geographic gaps in timely access to registered U.S. replantation centers, with 13.3% of the U.S. population lacking access within 6 hours and 7.6% lacking access within 12 hours.
• The National Hand Trauma Center Network may help reduce access gaps, with institutional transfer volume increasing by approximately 37% after joining the network and 92% after network integration.
• Persistent barriers include lack of a national triage protocol for digit amputations, shortage of microsurgical experts, and inadequate support systems such as compensation, protected time, and centralized call-sharing.

Variation in Postdischarge Opioid Prescribing After Childbirth and Associated Procedures

• Obstetrics and Gynecology, 5/28/2026
• This study evaluated hospital-level variation in opioid prescribing after vaginal births with associated procedures, including operative vaginal birth and repair of third- or fourth-degree lacerations.
• Using adjusted logistic regression models, the retrospective cohort study analyzed 14,690 opioid-naive, nulliparous patients with term births across 67 hospitals; 1,053 had operative vaginal births and 724 had third- or fourth-degree lacerations.
• Overall, 1.8% of patients received an opioid prescription, with a median of 60 OMEs; prescribing was highest after third- or fourth-degree lacerations (11.6%), while prescription amount was highest after operative vaginal birth (75 OMEs).

US multicentre randomised controlled trial protocol: Comparing Analgesic Regimen Effectiveness and Safety after surgery trial for Kids (CARES for Kids)

• BMJ Open, 5/28/2026
• The Comparing Analgesic Regimen Effectiveness and Safety (CARES) after surgery for Kids study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of NSAIDs plus acetaminophen alone (NSAID regimen) versus NSAIDs and acetaminophen plus a low-dose opioid regimen (opioid regimen) after multiple low-risk surgeries.
• Recruits adolescents undergoing tonsillectomy, knee arthroscopy, or laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
• Uses a pragmatic postoperative design allowing participants to take prescribed analgesics as needed, with outcomes including pain, medication-related adverse symptoms, recovery quality, healthcare-related quality of life, problematic substance use, and chronic prescription opioid use.