August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day

Posted by Tavi Hristova

Boston Medical Center and OBAT TTA will be recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) in support of the thousands of individuals and families who have been affected by overdoses.  By bringing awareness to overdose, the goal of IOAD is to lessen the stigma that harms people with substance use disorders and acknowledge the grief felt by loved ones of those lost to overdose.

The current scale of the opioid epidemic shows that no community is immune to being faced with drug-related deaths. Communities, families, people who use drugs, government officials, international organizations, businesses and policy makers must come together in a shared effort to reduce the tragedy of overdose.

If you would like to read more about International Overdose Awareness Day or see the calendar of events being held on August 31st, please visit https://www.overdoseday.com/

Colleen LaBelle, MSN, RN-BC, CARN, to Receive 2018 Innovators in Health Award

Posted by Tavi Hristova

Colleen LaBelle, director of Boston Medical Center’s OBAT and State OBAT, will be one of the recipients of the 2018 Innovators in Health Award, presented by the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation (NEHI).

Over the last 10 years, 45 people have received the Innovators in Health Award, each of whom has made a lasting impact in the health field.  Awardees have ranged from CEOs to Attorney Generals and university professors, all working to advance health care, health technology, and life sciences.

Ms. LaBelle is being honored with the award for her exemplary work in the field of substance use disorder treatment.  As the creator of the Massachusetts Nurse Care Manager Model of Office-Based Treatment, Ms. LaBelle has helped to vastly expand addiction treatment throughout the state of Massachusetts, and is now helping to disseminate the model nationally.

Please visit this website to learn more about the Innovators in Health Award.