Enhancing Naloxone Reach Through Innovative Training Strategies at an Academic Medical Center in Arkansas

The Arkansas Naloxone Education and Training (ANET) program, based at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, was developed to address the urgent need for opioid-overdose prevention across the state. Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), ANET uses a train-the-trainer model to equip health care professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to deliver naloxone education in their local settings. In its first year, the program launched a three-module curriculum, accredited for continuing education, of health care professionals and delivered using an academic detailing teaching strategy, prioritized recruitment from counties through a needs assessment including the highest rates of opioids dispensed and of overdose deaths, and implemented a comprehensive evaluation plan that is grounded in an evidence-based framework that facilitates continuous evaluation and improvement (ie, RE-AIM framework-Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance). Knowledge and attitudes were assessed before and after health care professionals completed the training program. All trainers received technical support and outreach materials. The program also fostered strategic statewide partnerships to support recruitment, implementation, and community engagement. ANET is embedded within an academic medical center and aligned with continuing professional development infrastructure, offering a replicable model for community-centered overdose prevention. Lessons learned during the program's implementation underscore its potential to inform future design, delivery, and sustainability of similar interventions.