NNLM Public Health Alliance to Connect, Teach, and Serve PHACTS

Pomperaug District Department of Health PDDH will leverage its vast network of community partners to implement a focused outreach program to connect underserved older 88 to MedlinePlus resources in order to curtail opioid dependence and provide alternative strategies for managing chronic pain. The NNLM Public Health Alliance to Connect, Teach, and Serve PHACTS initiative will deliver Stanford Universitys 6-week evidence based chronic pain selfmanagement program CPSMP; and Boston Universitys 8-week evidence-based Matter of Balance MOB falls prevention program; and hands-on instructional MedlinePlus workshops at local libraries and senior centers. Augmenting the CPSMP and MOB workshops will be an Opioid Awareness and Resource Day, during which MedlinePlus Opioid Abuse and Addiction resources will be distributed. Medical Reserve Corps MRC members will assist 131s with PHACTS implementation, thereby ensuring volunteer engagement and program sustainability. PHACTS will raise awareness of the high prevalence of falls, and impaired balance in older 88 with pain in the US, as outlined in the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study. Risk of unintentional overdose for older 88 who rely on prescription pain medication is rising, according to the Substance Abuse and 88tal Health Services Administration SAMHSA: while opioid abuse declined sharply among 18 to 25-year-old between 2002 and 2014, the epidemic almost doubled among Americans over age 50. Specific aims of this project include: increasing awareness and perpetuating proficiency in accessing MedlinePlus resources for older 88 and the people who care for them; promoting alternative pain management strategies through the delivery of evidence-based healthy aging workshops; and facilitating community opioid awareness presentations for older 88 who rely on prescription medications to manage pain