EMS-Initiated Buprenorphine Webinar Set for September 10

Millburn, NJ, Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The next webinar in the 2026 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series will examine the role of EMS-initiated buprenorphine in addressing opioid use disorder.

The free session, “The Impact of EMS-Initiated Buprenorphine,” will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 10. It is presented by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), the Office of Alternative and Community Responses (OACR), and the Opioid Education Foundation of America (OEFA).

The webinar will feature Dr. Rachel Haroz, associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, as well as the division head of Toxicology and Addiction Medicine, and medical director at the Center for Healing, and Dr. Gerard Carroll, program director for the EMS Fellowship at Cooper University Hospital.

Buprenorphine is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder that can relieve withdrawal symptoms and cravings and reduce the risk of another overdose. In 2019, Cooper launched Bupe FIRST, the nation’s first program to equip and train EMS teams to administer buprenorphine in the field when appropriate. Haroz and Carroll will discuss the program and the impact of EMS-initiated buprenorphine from the perspectives of addiction medicine and emergency medical services.

“Expanding understanding of approaches to opioid use disorder is an important part of addressing the opioid crisis,” said Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ. “This webinar will bring together expertise in addiction medicine and emergency medical services to examine EMS-initiated buprenorphine.”

The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series has reached over 10,000 participants annually, providing continuing education to professionals in healthcare, behavioral health, emergency services, and community leadership. Since its launch in 2020, the series has featured national and state-level experts who bring a multidisciplinary perspective to combating opioid misuse.

The initiative is part of the broader Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day campaign, held statewide on October 6, which brings together communities and prescribers to raise awareness about the risks of opioid misuse. In 2025 alone, New Jersey saw 1,316 suspected overdose deaths, underscoring the need for sustained, inclusive outreach and education.

To register for the webinar and learn more, visit: knockoutday.drugfreenj.org

###

Best known for its statewide anti-drug advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception the Partnership has garnered 233 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

Lisa Batitto
Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey
973-467-2100
news@drugfreenj.org