Each day, 90 people die in this country as the result of an opioid overdose. Since 2012, the state of Colorado has been waging war on this crisis. The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention has a singular focus on combating prescription drug abuse. Nearly five years after the formation of this consortium, the state is spending $1 million to start a drug abuse research center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. This research center will focus on things like treatment and recovery initiatives.

The team at Odyssey Training Center is passionate about providing students with the tools they need to help treat drug addicts around the country. With the certifications offered by Odyssey, a person can enter the in-demand certified addiction counselor market. Taking a job in this industry will allow you to do your part in the fight against opioid epidemic and other types of drug abuse. We offer students hands-on training that is designed to prepare them for a career in addiction treatment. Read below to find out about some of the things Colorado is doing and not doing when it comes to taking on the opioid crisis in this country.

Tracking Opioid Prescriptions

In an attempt to limit prescription opioid abuse, the state of Colorado tracks all prescriptions that are made for these types of drugs. While this is a great way to prevent doctor shopping, there are a few flaws in the system that are in place at the moment. The state of Colorado does not require doctors and clinicians to check this database before prescribing these dangerous drugs. There have been a variety of studies that show states that do require doctors to check the opioid prescription databases saw a sharp decline in opioid abuse.

Many doctors and clinics in Colorado say that maintaining the existing database is difficult to operate and it takes a lot of time to get the information needed. Since these complaints were made, the state is trying to come up with ways to simplify and streamline this system.

 

Imposing Limits on Opioid Prescriptions

The state of Colorado is also considering imposing limits on the number of opioid-based prescriptions a patient can have. The initial idea was to limit initial opioid prescriptions to seven days for the majority of patients. The only exemptions would be for patients who have chronic pain or cancer. The organizations that are representing doctors in the state of Colorado have opposed these limitations for a number of reasons. The legislators have since caved on these restrictions and will now only require patients who are new to opioids to abide by this seven-day rule. The legislators have also given doctors the power to bypass this rule is they deem it necessary. The federal health agency has issued prescribing guidelines that are a lot stricter than what Colorado has on the books. Since the issuing of these guidelines, state legislators have started to review their prescribing policies and could make some changes in the near future.

 

Doctors May Soon Get Report Cards Regarding the Opioid Prescriptions

Colorado is also testing a new idea that would provide doctors with report cards regarding their opioid prescriptions. These report cards will give doctors a summary of the opioid prescriptions they have given and will let them know how they compare to other doctors in the state. Only time will tell if this pilot report card program will be successful, but it will provide doctors with insight regarding their prescribing habits.

 

Drug Treatment Options Remain a Big Challenge

Many policymakers feel that the initial efforts made by Colorado regarding opioid abuse may have the unintended reaction of pushing addicts to harder drugs like heroin or even fentanyl. With this problem looming on the horizon, most lawmakers are starting to realize just how limited the drug treatment options in the state are. Studies show that of the 128,000 people who became addicted to illicit drugs last year, only 19,000 of them received treatment for their problem.

 

The main goal that Odyssey Training Center has is providing people who want to become Certified Addiction Counselors the education they need. We understand that the people we train today could very well be an integral part of fighting the opioid crisis in the years to come.

Are you interested in becoming a CAC or LAC? If so, give Odyssey Training Center a call today to find out more about the hands on training we can offer.