Christina Tarasidis is a final-year PharmD candidate at the East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.
Our APhA–ASP team at the East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy earned the 2023–2024 Operation Substance Use Disorders Award through a series of impactful community outreach activities focused on harm reduction and substance misuse education. We were honored to receive this national award at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Nashville this past March.
Here's how we did it.
Increasing public awareness
Chapter members led naloxone training sessions at diverse locations including farmer’s markets, residential housing, local businesses, high schools, and juvenile detention centers. This empowered individuals across the community to respond to opioid overdoses. In addition, we provided fentanyl awareness education and promoted the Tennessee Pharmacists Recovery Network to support those in the pharmacy profession struggling with SUD.
Our efforts also included implementing safe needle disposal initiatives, installing educational billboards, and attending Remote Area Medical clinics, all aimed at increasing public awareness and reducing stigma around addiction. These combined efforts demonstrated our commitment to public health and made a significant impact in our community, ultimately leading to the recognition we received.
More than an award
Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful because it not only acknowledges the work we’ve done, but also highlights the amazing impact we can have when we come together with a shared purpose to protect and strengthen our community and those around us. It recognizes our school’s deep commitment to addressing public health and SUD, not just through words but through consistent and compassionate actions that truly touch lives.
This honor reflects the trust we have built over time, the countless lives we have positively impacted, and the lasting change we’ve made by providing education and offering support to those who need it most. It is a reminder that the work we do is not just about programs or events. It is about the people we help and the struggles we address. To us, this is more than an award: It represents the real change we’re creating and the strength of our communities working together for better care.
Part of the larger effort
As they began announcing the award recipients and sharing the incredible work other schools were doing to combat SUD, we couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration and hope. Hearing about all the meaningful efforts across the country made us all proud to be part of this larger effort. But when our school’s name was called, there was an overwhelming sense of disbelief and emotion. It was hard to believe that all the countless hours of planning and carrying out our events, along with our unwavering dedication, had truly been recognized and appreciated not just by our community but on a national level.
In that moment, we were filled with an immense sense of honor, gratitude, and pride, knowing that our hard work was making a real impact and being recognized alongside such inspiring programs around us.