Dr. Cali Estes Founder of The Addictions Academy confirmed they have been chosen to deliver their First Responder Addictions and Mental Health Education training to Alaska’s First Responder organizations by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development to help combat the opioid crisis. The training is an activity outlined in Alaska’s National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Addictions Academy Addictions Training for First Responders is key to assisting the general population. This is a hands-on training designed especially for the Police Officer, EMT, Firefighter, or crisis worker. This detailed training covers how opiates and opioids became prevalent in the USA and how to address and combat the problem. The training uses a three-pronged approch; first, educating the First Responder on how to deal with mental health and addiction in their communities and with the general public, then how to recognize addiction and mental health issues in coworkers and teams and lastly, how to recognize mental health and addiction issues within yourself. The comprehensive course also trains professionals on Medically Assisted Therapies (MAT), HIV, and more.
This is the first-ever training that targets and explains addiction and how to assist in the solution of solving the epidemic that is currently rampant. In a crisis environment, it is difficult for the addicted individual to see the negative patterns of their behavior and how they not only affect their family but also their community. Addicted individuals become non-productive members of society and sometimes very destructive when it comes to crime, (burglary, drug sales, trafficking, etc) and the goal of any community is to triage and redirect and rehabilitate the person to not only help themselves and their families but the community as a whole.
“If you have ever wanted to know more about mental health and addictions to drugs like heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, oxycodone, and Fentanyl, this is the class for you,” Dr. Estes said.
She continued, “We are honored to help Alaska and their First Responders to gain a better understanding of addictions and give them some tools to effectively address the challenges it poses in their communities.”
The Addictions Academy First Responder Addiction Education training takes an in-depth look at opiates and how professionals can successfully assist their clients and patients in getting sober and handling the fallout from use. The course covers what mental health disorders are (DSM 5), and how to deal with the chronically addicted and mentally ill that are encountered so often in first responder work. The training also covers what street drugs are currently available and which ones are life-threatening and what countermeasures are available for overdose and awareness.
This special edition of addiction and mental health training is designed specifically for police officers, emergency medical technicians, firefighters and other crisis workers. This interactive course consists of 21 topics including: what addiction is and what it is not, identifying currently available street drugs, which drugs are life-threatening, assessing community supports, countermeasures that are available for overdose and awareness, post-acute withdrawal techniques, defense mechanisms, relapse prevention, and family dynamics.
In a crisis environment, it is difficult for an addicted individual to see the negative patterns of their behavior, how the addiction affects their lives and the lives of family members and their community. The goal of any community is to triage, redirect and rehabilitate the person to not only help themselves and their families but the community as a whole.
“This is a prime opportunity for first responder organizations to offer this specialized, no-cost, online training to their workers,” said DOLWD Commissioner Dr. Tamika L. Ledbetter. “Awareness and education are our best strategies to combat the statewide opioid crisis.”
With 25 years as a clinician and addictions professional, Dr. Cali Estes opened up a private practice and began helping people around the world get sober from drugs and alcohol. While building her signature practice, Sober on Demand, and helping top Celebrities, NFL players, and CEO’s get their lives together, she also founded The Addictions Academy.
Dr. Estes said, “Unfortunately the pandemic has reinvigorated the opioid epidemic. We were gaining some headway the past few years, but things are not going well now. We are eager to help Alaska and their First Responders do what they can to address this issue.”
Dr. Cali Estes and The Addictions Academy have been offering a wide-ranging assortment of advanced training for several years in an ongoing effort to counteract the growing addiction problem. The Academy has more than 30 faculty teaching over 40 courses in five different languages. Program graduates can be found in 25 countries helping address the addiction problem worldwide.
If your organization is interested in this six-hour First Responder Addiction Education course, professionally presented online to your organization by The Addictions Academy, please email dol.iwt@alaska.gov or call (907) 465-5947. Training is available on a first-come, first-served basis to 20 first responder organizations who apply for training on behalf of their workers. Training must be completed by May 31, 2021.
To learn more about Dr. Cali Estes, The Addictions Coach and Founder of The Addictions Academy, visit https://theaddictionscoach.com and https://theaddictionsacademy.com.