PROVIDENCE – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Rhode Island PBS Education Services are extending their opioid use prevention partnership into Rhode Island middle schools and high schools with age-appropriate curriculum resources.
An average of 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 68 percent of the more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid. Rhode Island has been hit particularly hard by the opioid crisis, with 320 opioid-overdose deaths in 2017, putting the Ocean State at the 11th-highest opioid-death rate among U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
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“We are committed to continue our efforts to help those suffering from substance use disorders, but we also must to do more to educate our school-aged children on the dangers of opioid use,” said Kim A. Keck, president and CEO of Blue Cross. “Supporting the development of targeted lesson plans for Rhode Island students is an important step, and we hope this early education will lead to prevention, reduced stigma and long-term success.”
The lesson plans, created by Rhode Island Student Assistance Services and distributed through Rhode Island PBS LearningMedia, are free and foster what can be difficult conversations:
- How do opioids affect the lives of friends and family in our community?
- What is happening in our community that affects addiction?
- What resources are available for those battling opioid addiction?
- What do I need to know to help friends and family to avoid health risks or seek help when needed?
“Rhode Island has faced many crises over the years but few compare to the current opioid epidemic that has thousands of families under siege. I am proud of the work being done to raise awareness of potential solutions to this issue, not just pointing fingers at the problem,” said David W. Piccerelli, president of Rhode Island PBS. “Collaborating with RISAS on the curriculum and with PBS LearningMedia on distribution takes our local stories and academic lessons to a national stage. The partnership with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has made this public education and information sharing possible.”
Blue Cross’ partnership with Rhode Island PBS began in 2017 with an educational screening of the “Second Opinion” series. In 2018, Blue Cross served as exclusive production sponsor and premiered the televised broadcast of “The Fix: Examining Rhode Island’s Opioid Epidemic,” a documentary that explores the toll of the opioid crisis specifically on Rhode Island. The screening also served as a forum for discussing steps that Blue Cross, state leaders, community partners and the medical community are taking to lead the way to a solution.
In May 2018, the partners began bringing the documentary into communities that are hard-hit by the opioid crisis in an effort to promote constructive conversations, raise awareness of treatment opportunities and continue to destigmatize substance use disorder in Rhode Island.
The new curriculum, created by Rhode Island Student Assistance Services with Rhode Island PBS content, includes a variety of resources, not only for teachers but also for parents. The lesson plans and activities are currently being shared with middle and high schools across the state, and can be found online here: High School Lesson Plan and Middle School Lesson Plan.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
