Findings on a Novel Intervention for Improving Substance Use Disorder Literacy and Decreasing Stigma
The Addiction Policy Forum in partnership with Governor Mike DeWine's RecoveryOhio Initiative, deployed the enCompass training program in 2021 to more than 800 individuals throughout Ohio.
Locations were selected to prioritize 22 counties in Ohio that experience 80 percent of the overdoses in the state. The project team coordinated with Ohio’s county-operated, state supervised behavioral health system made up of area behavioral health authorities to provide 21 trainings.
The evaluation of the Ohio enCompass initiative was conducted by the University of Delaware. Preliminary results from the Ohio pilot study included 492 pre- and post-matched participants.
The evaluation measured addiction knowledge, confidence in how to respond to a substance use disorder (SUD), and levels of stigma, including stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.
Knowledge about addiction increased across the board for all participants, with the most significant improvement among people who entered the training knowing the least about addiction.
Stigma decreased across the board for all participants, with the greatest decrease among participants with lower knowledge scores on addiction.
About enCompass
enCompass: A Comprehensive Training on Navigating Addiction is an 8-hour training to increase substance use disorder (SUD) literacy and decrease stigma. The intervention addresses misconceptions and myths about addiction while building SUD literacy -- knowledge and beliefs about substance use disorders to aid their recognition, management and prevention.
Participants learn about signs and symptoms, risk factors, early intervention, evidence-based treatment options and skills to help an individual in need of support. enCompass was developed by the Addiction Policy Forum with an Expert Review Panel composed of prominent researchers and physicians in the addiction field.
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