As the year winds down and we reflect on the events of 2020 including the worst health and economic crises of our lifetime, we continue to be awed by our valued partners. From our retail pharmacy partners on the frontlines since the first diagnoses were reported to the non-profits focused on curbing addiction and opioid stewardship, they have inspired us with all they have done and continue to do to care for and protect our communities and country.
To support the increasing demands on our partners, our team has also worked to adapt and make available additional resources. A few of the highlights from this year include:
- The launch of our state-by-state virtual webinar series to draw attention to areas of the country greatly impacted by the opioid epidemic as well as the pandemic. Our most recent webinar focused on Kentucky and featured discussion with Jana Bailey, an advanced practice nurse, certified registered nurse anesthetist and member of the Kentucky Board of Nursing; Kelly J. Clark, MD, founder of Addiction Crisis Solutions and DisposeRx board member; John M. Edwards, III, a certified registered nurse anesthetist at Baptist Health Lexington; Natalie Middaugh, community health program manager for the Kentuckiana Health Collaborative; Lisa Smith, PharmD, senior director, Clinical Excellence for Walmart Inc.; and Helisha Ward Tuerk, programs coordinator for AmeriCorps Seniors at Morehead State University. The previous webinar focused on Ohio, and in January 2021, we’ll host a virtual webinar with thought leaders from West Virginia.
- The announcement of a new education and engagement initiative for health insurance and payors. This program can be customized by plans and offers member, clinical and community engagement resources in addition to tools to drive pharmacy and health plan collaboration.
- Our first partnership with Sesame Street in Communities. Given that almost 6 million children under the age of 11 in the United States live in households with a parent who has a substance use disorder, we provided financial support for the development of a webinar series focused on substance abuse and parental addiction. The online resources were created for child and family therapists, first responders, community leaders and other service providers.
- A milestone celebration marking DisposeRx packet availability in all 50 states and 70% of counties across the United States. We also made progress on our commitment to donate enough DisposeRx packets to dispose of 10 million opioid pills, extending our Community Outreach Program into all 50 states. We are honored to work with more than 300 non-profit organizations by donating packets for at-home medication disposal and providing education materials on the importance of safe medication management.
- Our first patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office.
This year has shaped us in ways that we could have never imagined. While 2020 certainly presented its share of challenges, we are truly grateful for its silver linings. The DisposeRx family wishes you a holiday season full of hope and peace and a healthy and safe new year.
