Max's Mission Naloxone & Harm Reduction Training Seminars

Max's Mission continues to present Naloxone training seminars for a variety of organizations around southern Oregon, including our first ever Spanish-language training! Each seminar teaches participants how to identify the signs of an opioid overdose, how to administer Naloxone and addresses harm-reduction methods as an impactful tool in combating the nationwide opioid health crisis. We offer our comprehensive training to fellow health and social justice organizations, local businesses, community groups and frequently, individuals.

Please contact us if you have a group or business that would benefit from training in opioid overdose prevention and emergency response, including how to use Naloxone.

Chloe & Ryan from Max's Mission Klamath office, present harm reduction and Naloxone training to a class.

March 4th, 2025 - Phoenix, OR - Local Food Prep Business

The opioid epidemic continues to have a profound impact on the lives of many here in southern Oregon and, given the region’s growing Spanish-speaking population, Max's Mission has adapted our Naloxone training program to better serve this portion of our community. Much to our delight, we were able to partner with a local food preparation business in Phoenix, Oregon, to present our first Spanish-language Naloxone training event.

Despite most of the group’s relative unfamiliarity with Naloxone and harm reduction, they were quick learners, asked excellent clarifying questions and displayed genuine commitment to being prepared to reverse an opioid overdose using Naloxone. By the end of the training session, the company’s staff had a thorough understanding of the subject matter, including overdose identification, proper Naloxone usage and were eager to add their new Naloxone kits to their existing first aid supplies.

Another important benefit of these workplace trainings is that the skills taught extend beyond the confines of the business. Many participants request Naloxone kits for their own use, as well as loved-ones and people they care about, to be prepared to reverse an overdose anywhere they encounter one. While the training may be localized, the preparedness of the employees provides greater safety for the community as a whole.

March 11th, 2025 - Oregon Institute of Technology - Chronic Illness 2 Junior Nursing

Max's Mission partnered with Transformations Wellness Center/ Prime Plus to present an impactful session on harm reduction to the nursing students at Oregon Institute of Technology. This educational project aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of harm reduction practices and principles, emphasizing the need to reduce stigma surrounding substance use related issues in the medical system. By focusing on these core values, Max’s Mission’s presentation seeks to empower future healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to approach substance use with compassion and understanding, fostering a more supportive and empathetic environment for this too often marginalized population.

This collaboration provides insights into the day-to-day work of harm reduction in Klamath County, offering nursing students perspectives on how these principles are implemented. Through their experience, students learn that harm reduction is not about abstinence or punishment, but about meeting individuals where they are and reducing the negative consequences of substance use. In this presentation Max’s Mission and Transformations Wellness Center/ Prime plus discussed peer support from a harm reduction approach, overdose prevention resources, Naloxone distribution and training, distribution of fresh supplies and safety strategies, risk reduction and low barrier treatment of communicable diseases, accessing treatment for substance use issues, resource connection and access to service and community outreach. Max’s Mission and Transformations Wellness Center / Prime Plus also highlight the importance of building trust and fostering open communication with participants, many of whom may feel marginalized or stigmatized by traditional healthcare systems. Nursing students are encouraged to recognize the value of empathetic, non-judgmental care, and offering practical resources and solutions that empower individuals to make informed choices about their health, all while promoting overall well-being and dignity.

Max's Mission and Transformations Wellness Center/ Prime Plus are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to present to the 28 nursing students at Oregon Institute of Technology. The level of engagement, receptiveness, and thoughtful questions from the students truly showcased their commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care. We are excited to see future healthcare professionals so dedicated to understanding harm reduction and the importance of empathy in their practice. The OIT instructors’ interest in participating in this presentation further underscores the value of these collaborations in helping to shape nursing education that is more sympathetic to harm reduction approaches.

March 13th, 2025 - Jackson County HHS - Rogue Retreat Peer Support Training

Rogue Retreat provides OHA-approved trainings on the Fundamentals of Peer Support to equip students with the role and function of a recovery coach, including exploring the many dimensions and stages of recovery, addressing ethical concerns, increasing awareness of culture, power, and privilege, incorporating trauma-informed care into a peer support approach and hearing from many PSS/CRM workers within the community.

On the second-to-last day of their Peer Support course, Max's Mission presented Naloxone training to the class. The majority of Peer Support Specialist students are people in recovery. Many have both been given and administered Naloxone during their time of active substance use. As a result, the participants in this course tend to have much more experience identifying an opioid overdose and using Naloxone to reverse an overdose than we normally see. In addition to thoroughly reviewing the process for correctly using Naloxone, the training provided was tailored specifically to cater to this more experienced group, allowing participants to ask in-depth clarifying questions, dispel common Naloxone misunderstandings and share relevant personal anecdotes. We strive to foster a richer understanding of Naloxone and its correct usage as well as related harm reduction principles and methodologies for this group of outstanding, soon-to-be Peer Support Specialists and Coaches!

Max's Mission Naloxone Training & Harm Reduction Education

Our trainings give us an opportunity to reach a huge cross-section of our communities and allow us to get Naloxone into the hands and homes of those who need it most throughout Southern Oregon. Every training is customized to meet the needs of the specific group being trained and their requests for further education regarding, drug use, harm reduction, stigma and local resources.