Virtual meeting
Via Zoom
Description
Substance-related deaths continue to rise, leaving families, friends, and communities to cope with profound grief that is often complicated by stigma, trauma, and a lack of support. This training is designed for healthcare workers and community members who support individuals and families impacted by such loss. Through a trauma-informed and empathetic lens, participants will explore the unique emotional complexities surrounding substance-related bereavement. The session will offer practical tools and evidence-based interventions to help providers engage compassionately with those grieving, while also connecting them to meaningful community and clinical resources. This training emphasizes the importance of reducing stigma, fostering healing, and enhancing the role of healthcare providers in postvention support.
Intended audience
Providers, nurses, social workers, psychologists, peer supports, other clinical staff, non-clinicians, and community members.
Speakers
Gabriel Quaglia, CHW
Gabriel is the Direct Service Provider Program Manager at Support After a Death by Overdose (SADOD). As a former certified community health worker, Gabriel worked in service delivery, program development, and training for harm reduction, SUD treatment programs, and peer grief support. As a person in long-term recovery, Gabriel has worked for over twelve years in advocacy and direct action with people who use drugs and people experiencing homelessness, as well as labor organizing. Currently, Gabriel works for SADOD, delivering groups for direct service providers (DSPs) experiencing grief and loss. He also provides training and technical assistance relevant to DSP support.
Jill Shanahan, BA
Jill worked for over 15 years in Massachusetts-based harm reduction drop-in centers and syringe programs. Before her role at Support After Death by Overdose (SADOD), where she supports the direct care workforce through lived experience, training, and peer grief support groups, she was a consultant on the MA Harm Reduction Advisory Council. Jill is forever grateful to those who came before us in peer-led community (health) care and social movements, such as harm reduction and peer grief work.
Objectives
At the end of this training, participants will have the knowledge necessary to:
- Describe two of the complete emotions related to loss.
- Name three resources for individuals who have lost someone to substance use-related reasons.
- Identify at least two interventions to support those experiencing grief.
Sponsored by
Boston Medical Center Grayken Center for Addiction TTA, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (DPH/BSAS)
Funding for out of state attendees is provided by the Opioid Response Network (ORN).
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI085588-02 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Accreditation information
Please read the Accreditation Information section of the training page to learn about the requirements for receiving credit or a certificate of completion.
Audience
Providers, nurses, social workers, psychologists, peer supports, other clinical staff, non-clinicians, and community members.
