Get an Inside Look at our CHSU Overdose Prevention Committee
February 14, 2025
Written by Negin Fadaee, MPH, CHSU-COM Medical Student
The Overdose Prevention Committee (OPC) at CHSU-COM is dedicated to preventing overdose deaths in the Fresno/Clovis area and greater Central Valley. OPC is a Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) committee that was established in 2019 by Resolution S19-02 (“SOMA Overdose Prevention Task Force and Overdose Prevention Project”) in response to the rise in preventable overdose deaths across the nation. OPC focuses on six different public health matters, including: Good Samaritan Laws, naloxone (Narcan) distribution, medication assisted treatment (MAT), harm reduction, stigma reduction, and barriers to access. Nationally, there are five region administrators who oversee each osteopathic medical school’s OPC.
In 2020, CHSU-COM students founded their own OPC division, which is structured around multiple subcommittees whose activities are coordinated by the student chair and influenced by the faculty advisor, Dr. Francisco Ibarra. OPC collaborates with the Fresno Department of Public Health, Fresno Madera Medical Society, and Substance Use Navigators to provide naloxone administration training, harm reduction resources, and opioid overdose education. OPC also provides overdose training to first year medical students alongside CHSU’s clinical skills course and has created a campus policy for storing and administering naloxone on campus. OPC’s work is routinely highlighted in the campus newsletter and has received ABC news coverage.
For this academic year, OPC established ties with Fresno State University to prevent and treat opioid overdoses. At least once a month, OPC partners with the Fresno State University “Wellness Wednesday” team to promote harm reduction on their campus. At these outreach events, OPC gathers outside the Student Health and Counseling Center to distribute naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and informational handouts regarding harm reduction and overdose education. The CHSU-OPC team utilizes their manikin, Anikin, to train attendees how to spot signs of an opioid overdose and properly administer naloxone. Participants are able to apply their newly acquired skills on Anikin to better prepare themselves for real-life overdose situations. For more information regarding OPC’s partnership with Fresno State University, check out their previous feature in the CHSU Insider https://osteopathic.chsu.edu/chsus-overdose-prevention-committee-led-first-outreach-event-at-fresno-state/.
You can also watch a recent video featuring the CHSU OPC on social media by clicking on the links below!
In October, OPC participated in Red Ribbon Week to support drug-abuse prevention. The team’s activities included a naloxone scavenger hunt and a lunchtime screening of a testimonial video of an individual recovering from drug addiction. The Red Ribbon Week festivities concluded with the “Plant the Promise” event, where each student planted a red tulip on campus. The tulips serve as a powerful visual reminder of the importance of implementing preventative measures to address addiction and reinforce students’ role in promoting resilience now and as future physicians. The tulips have already started to sprout and can be seen near the parking lot entrance off of Alluvial Road at the 2500 campus.
Meet the OPC Team
The current OPC team consists of Aicha Naouai, Chair and Interprofessional Coordination Sub-Chair; Andrew Insco, Community Outreach Sub-Chair; Mariya Leshchuk, Internal Education Sub-Chair; Negin Fadaee, Research Sub-Chair; and the OPC Faculty Advisor, Francisco Ibarra, PharmD, BCCCP, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biomedical Education at CHSU-COM.
Brooke Guenther is the recently elected OPC Chair who will be transitioning into her new role at the end of the spring semester. If you are interested in learning more about OPC, attending an event, or collaborating on a project, contact any of the board members below.
Hello! My name is Aicha Naouai and I am the OPC Chair and Interprofessional Coordination Sub-chair. I support my team’s vision and ensure our group accomplishes OPC’s mission. Additionally, I connect our medical students with healthcare professionals who are experts in managing opioid use disorder so they may learn from and work with them.
I’m Andrew Insco, The Community Outreach Sub-chair. I’m married and have a 1-year-old son. I see the community outreach role as an opportunity to reach out to local schools in the area and highlight the ways we can teach recognition and prevention of overdoses. I believe there is a lot that we, OPC, can give to our community and mutually benefit young learners and our community.
Hello everyone! My name is Mariya Leshchuk, and I am the OPC Internal Education Sub-chair. Some of my hobbies include long walks, traveling, and watching good documentaries. I work alongside the team to host events at CHSU that educate and train our students about opioid use disorder prevention and naloxone (Narcan) administration.
Hi! My name is Negin and I am the OPC Research Sub-chair! I was heavily involved in clinical research throughout undergrad and in my gap years, so I was excited to bring my insights and experiences to OPC. I spearhead research projects that advance the opioid-related literature and create positive changes within our community in the Central Valley. A fun fact about me is that I have a food Instagram that I like to post on occasionally, follow me @chewchompchow!