CRMGTPV X204 - Meeting People Where They Are: Crisis Support for People Who Use Drugs

This training is designed to equip 988 crisis responders with the tools, context and compassion to effectively support people who use drugs (PWUD). Rooted in harm reduction and trauma-informed care, this training explores how to navigate conversations about substance use, recognize and respond to overdose, and build trust with individuals who may experience stigma, isolation or fear when reaching out for help. Participants will receive a walkthrough of the evolving drug landscape, including fentanyl, xylazine and medetomidine, along with effective strategies for overdose recognition and response. The training also addresses the spectrum of substance use, the role of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and how to provide safer use resources, support and referrals. By combining current drug trends and crisis communication skills, this session empowers responders to meet callers where they are, reduce harm and further connection through empathy, not judgment.

What You’ll Learn

After completing this training, participants will be able to:

• Explain the core principles of harm reduction; apply a human-centered, trauma-informed lens to crisis response with PWUD.
• Differentiate between substance use, misuse and substance use disorder; identify the social, historical and systemic factors that shape drug-related stigma. 
• Recognize the signs of opioid and sedative-involved overdoses; describe appropriate response strategies, including naloxone administration and rescue breathing.
• Identify current drug trends, including fentanyl, xylazine and medetomidine; refute common myths to better assess and support callers in real time.
• Demonstrate effective, compassionate communication strategies; recommend appropriate harm reduction tools, safer use resources and treatment options such as MOUD.

What You’ll Earn

• Social workers completing this training will receive 3 clinical continuing education clock hours under ACE.
• This training is approved for 3 CE clock hours for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, as well as substance use counselors in domains C1 - substance use disorder and recovery knowledge (1.5) and C7 - relapse and recovery strategies (1.5) in the state of Ohio.

Additional Information

Development Date: September 2025

Target Audience: 988 crisis call line staff and other human services professionals

Content Level: Intermediate

Training Outline:

• A human-centered lens
• Harm reduction philosophy and practice
• Layers of stigma
• Substance use does not equal substance use disorder
• The opioid epidemic: context and scope
• Overdose response 101
• Understanding fentanyl and sedatives
• 988’s role in harm reduction-oriented crisis response
• Talking to people who use drugs
• Scenario discussion
• Resources for safer use
• Medications for opioid disorder

Presenter: Chris Saylor, CHES
Manager of Community Health at CompDrug

Chris Saylor, CHES, is a public health professional with over eight years of experience. Saylor currently serves as the manager of community health at CompDrug in Columbus, Ohio. He has been working at CompDrug since May 2021, where he started as a community health advocate. Saylor has a passion for affecting change around social determinants of health and improving health in the community. He serves as board chair for The Crawford Crew in Westerville, Ohio. Saylor lives in Pataskala, Ohio, with his wife, son and two dogs. 

Presenter: Madisyn Richards
Community Health Advocate at CompDrug

Madisyn Richards is a passionate harm reductionist and community health advocate with a background in nursing, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kent State University and extensive experience in overdose prevention. She currently works at CompDrug, providing naloxone distribution and overdose response training to help reduce the impact of the overdose crisis through education, advocacy and direct community support. Richards’ dedication to harm reduction is deeply personal. At 15, she lost her boyfriend to an overdose, an experience that shaped her own journey through substance use and into recovery. She later worked as an intensive care unit technician during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she witnessed the toll of systemic gaps in care, further solidifying her commitment to compassionate, non-abstinence-based approaches to substance use. Outside of work, Richards actively volunteers with grassroots harm reduction initiatives across Columbus, Ohio, and extends harm reduction services to headliners at electronic dance music shows as part of Insomniac’s Ground Control team, promoting safety, awareness, and support for festivalgoers. Richards recently attended the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas.

Continuing Education Approvals

The Ohio State University College of Social Work, (Provider: 1628), is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The Ohio State College of Social Work maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 4/30/25-4/30/28. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.    

The Ohio State University College of Social Work provides approvals for continuing education for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists that are accepted by the state of Ohio Counselor, Social Work, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board.   

The Ohio State University College of Social Work has been approved by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals (CDP) Board as a provider of Continuing Education, approval number: 50-24068. 

Certificates & CE Reporting
CE certificates will be available in your learner portal within 1 business day after submitting the evaluation survey. Hours for Ohio licenses submitted with the evaluation survey will be reported to CE Broker every 14 days (twice per month).

⚠️ Note: You may only complete this training once for CE credit. You may revisit the content, but only one certificate will be issued and credit will only be reported to CE Broker one time.

Cancellations, Refunds, Grievances, Accessibility Requests & Learning
Please visit the Policies section of our website for information on cancellations, refunds, grievances, training completions & certificates, participant conduct, and accessibility requests and learning accommodations. We strive to host inclusive, accessible events. If you require an accommodation, contact CSW Accessibility at csw-accessibility@osu.edu or call 614-688-1657. Requests received at least 14 days prior to the date you plan to begin a training will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the College will make every effort to meet requests regardless of lead time.

Contact Us

For questions about the enrollment process, payment options, technology, or training records, please submit an inquiry and our Enrollment Support team will assist you within 24 hours during business days.

Submit an enrollment inquiry

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback about the training content or delivery format, please contact the 988 training team at 988trainings@osu.edu. For questions related to the training content, our office will facilitate communication with the training instructor on your behalf and connect you, if applicable. Presenter contact information will be provided within the training for questions, feedback, or comments.

Email: 988trainings@osu.edu
Website: csw.osu.edu/continuing-education/988-lifeline-series