The Department’s First Responder Addiction and Connection to Treatment program (FR-ACT) is a training program within the Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention that was established to ensure first responders and public safety professionals, including CYS professionals, have the tools necessary to respond to the overdose epidemic. Training is offered at no cost and is available in all 67 counties across Pennsylvania. The Department works with an expert training vendor, St. Joseph’s University, to deliver live trainings.
FR-ACT trains and provides skills to first responders and public safety professionals on opioid use disorder, overdose response, and related information, including:
- Substance use disorder as a chronic disease;
- Stigma reduction;
- Providing resources to overdose survivors and families;
- Naloxone use and leave-behind practices; and
- Warm hand-offs and connection to treatment.
Continuing education credits are now available for Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors licensees who complete FR-ACT training. There are two ways to participate:
- Complete the online, self-study training on TRAIN PA and earn 1 credit hour. Self-study training is available here.
- Schedule a training for yourself or your agency by contacting St. Joseph’s University Center for Addiction and Recover Education. OR, you can email the Department. Credit hours available to participants of live training will depend on the length of live training.
More information about FR-ACT may be found here. Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.
