Research, Education & Outreach

The research, education, and outreach projects highlighted below are just a glimpse of the innovative and essential work going on through COACH and the direct impact it is making on behalf of the citizens of Alabama.  COACH affiliated faculty member, Dr. Brent Fox asserts, “COACH works to emphasize that no one individual or profession can tackle the substance misuse problem in our state. It is a multidimensional problem requiring an interdisciplinary solution, and Alabamians should collaborate with one another based on their individual experiences, content knowledge and available resources to tackle this crisis.” Aligned with this notion, another primary goal for COACH is to serve as a resource in the state.

Ongoing Developments

Research
COACH Faculty Fellow, Dr. Lindsey Hohmann, was recently awarded a KL2 award from the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Deep South Mentored Career Development Program for the proposal, “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Chronic Pain Management: Development of a Community Pharmacy-Based Program in the Rural Deep South”. Community pharmacies’ level of organizational readiness to implement MBSR programs is unknown, and it is unclear what MBSR programmatic elements (content and format) patients with chronic pain would prefer in the community pharmacy setting. The purpose of this proposed KL2 study is to explore stakeholders’ organizational readiness, contextual barriers, and preferences for MBSR program content and format, and develop and assess the feasibility of a community pharmacy based MBSR program for chronic pain management in rural Alabama. The proposed study will serve as a building block to increase access to alternative treatments for pain in underserved rural Alabama patients. This aligns with the CCTS vision to reduce the burden of disparities in health outcomes among special populations in the Deep South.

Education
As part of COACH’s commitment to education, faculty are working to provide health care professionals with the knowledge to prevent, recognize, and assist in treatment and referral for opioid use disorders within their practice and community. These educational programs bring together a diverse health care audience to encourage communication and collaboration across disciplines. Included in this work is an effort by Drs. Marlowe, Brent Fox, and Haley Phillippe, in partnership with the Alabama Department of Public Health to conduct a series of town hall meetings and summits across the state through the end of 2025 in reference to Alabama’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, or PDMP. The town halls consist of an interactive PDMP demonstration and skills-building exercise led by Auburn personnel with support from ADPH staff. The summit series is designed to focus broadly on drugs of concern. The role of the PDMP will remain an important component of this summit series. The 2023 Substance Misuse Summit brought together an interdisciplinary audience of over 280 individuals. The 2024 Summit is scheduled for Friday, February 9, 2024, in Montgomery, Alabama. These programs are sponsored by the Alabama Department of Public Health through a parent grant funded by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Learn more at https://auburncoach.org/adph-townhall-and-summits.

Outreach
As a land-grant institution, outreach is vital to our mission. As such, HCOP leadership worked with COACH affiliated faculty and staff to develop an outreach initiative designed to reach middle and junior high students across Alabama. The initiative sought to introduce the profession of pharmacy and educate students on the harms of illicit drug use. As our nation is experiencing an ongoing opioid crisis, the earlier we can educate students, the more improved the outcomes. Funds to support the initiative were raised through Auburn’s annual Tiger Giving Day (TGD), held in February 2023. Reaching a variety of schools and approximately 1,000+/- students. To learn more about COACH’s TGD Initiative, visit 2023 Tiger Giving Day Initiative – COACH (auburncoach.org).

Auburn University’s Harrison College of Pharmacy will utilize funds collected through the University’s Eli, J.R., and Sam Bozeman Endowed Fund for Excellence. to support Coach-affiliated outreach efforts. The dollars received enable us to secure event locations, promote the activities, and provide educational materials to facilitators/participants. COACH is working to make a meaningful impact across Alabama and the southeast region. Dollars donated through this fund directly impact Alabama residents at all stages of life: K-12 students, college students, young professionals, and middle-aged as well as older adults. COACH team members strive to build impactful relationships with public officials and community leaders across Alabama to better serve its citizens. Utilizing dollars collected through the Bozeman fund, COACH participates in outreach activities like National Night Out. To support COACH and assist in making an impact, please visit https://alumniq.auburn.edu/giving/to/bozeman.