OSU Center for Health Sciences Awarded $1.8 Million to Combat Opioid Epidemic
OSU Center for Health Sciences Awarded $1.8 Million to Combat Opioid Epidemic
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES: Located in Tulsa at the corner of Southwest Blvd. and West 17th Street, OSU–CHS will utilize state and federal funds to provide education, training and treatment to combat opioid abuse.
The Center for Wellness and Recovery at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (–CHS) has been awarded more than $1.8 million in state and federal funds to combat the opioid epidemic in Oklahoma. The two awards will focus on education of the public regarding opioid prescriptions, treatment of those with opioid use disorder, and on training of resident physicians to identify and treat opioid use disorder.
Opioid misuse in Oklahoma is a problem that is compounded by the lack of patient education on the effects of opioids, failure to recognize the symptoms of early addiction, and a lack of available trained and certified providers of medication assisted treatment. In 2016, 813 Oklahomans died from overdoses resulting in a rate of 21.5 people per 100,000 compared to the national rate of 19.8 people per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (). The Trust for America’s Health reports that the rate in Oklahoma could increase to 31.7 people per 100,000 by 2025, if drastic steps are not implemented.
“OSU Center for Health Sciences is committed to lead the fight against opioid use disorder for the sake of our rural communities, and for all Oklahomans. These grants will give us more resources to help educate and treat those suffering from addiction, as well as prevent the next generation from becoming addicted to these drugs that can become deadly when misused,” said Dr. Kayse M. Shrum, president of –CHS, and dean, College of Osteopathic Medicine.
About Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences educates osteopathic physicians, scientists, allied health professionals and health care administrators for Oklahoma with an emphasis on serving rural and underserved Oklahoma.
–CHS offers graduate and professional degrees with over 1,000 students enrolled in academic programs in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the School of Allied Health, the School of Health Care Administration, the School of Biomedical Sciences, and the School of Forensic Sciences.
Medicine operates a network of clinics in the Tulsa area offering a multitude of specialty services including cardiology, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry and women’s health.
Updated 01-17-2019
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