Strengthening the Behavioral Health Workforce Through Upstream Overdose Prevention

• By: Stephanie Simons Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
• January 19th, 2026
• behavioral health workforce, fentanyl risk, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, overdose prevention, provider training, safety planning, substance use awareness, Winter 2026 Issue
• 1649    0

I came to this work with a personal understanding of how overdose affects families and communities. I lost my brother to an unintentional fentanyl overdose two years ago after he took a pill that he believed was oxycodone, given by someone he trusted. The loss reshaped how I understood...