Development and Early Outcomes of Interprofessional Education on Opioid Use Disorder in the Kentucky HEALing Communities Study

Clinicians and nonclinicians, such as recovery coaches and care navigators, serve important roles in addiction treatment. Literature is limited regarding what interprofessional training is needed to care for clients with opioid use disorder (OUD). The Kentucky Opioid Overdose Prevention and Education Network (KY-OPEN) is a virtual education series developed as part of the HEALing (Helping End Addiction Long-Term) Communities Study providing education on evidence-based practices for treating OUD. This article describes KY-OPEN's development, curriculum, engagement, and early impact. KY-OPEN curriculum development aimed to ensure adequate interprofessional health literacy regarding fundamentals of OUD treatment. Participants were recruited through weekly newsletters distributed among study personnel and partnering community members. Six and 16-month post-launch surveys evaluated engagement, utility of KY-OPEN topics, and perceived confidence in skill development. The 68-session curriculum, delivered from January 2021 to June 2022, had a mean of 23 people attend each live session and 1713 asynchronous recorded session views during delivery. Survey results indicated high satisfaction with content, high professional relevance, and high confidence in addressing stigma, providing appropriate referrals, and educating others about OUD. Virtual interprofessional education can successfully engage and provide helpful training to clinicians and nonclinicians about OUD.