Utah Opioids

04/28/2026

Join us for our upcoming Speaker Series with Megan Vernon, CMHC, as she leads a four-part virtual training on DBT Strategies for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders. Whether you’re a student, clinician, or working in behavioral health, this series will give you practical tools to support individuals navigating substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges.

🗓 May 1, 8, 15, & 22
⏰ 12–1 PM MDT
💻 Virtual

Spots are filling, don’t miss out!

🔗 Register here: bit.ly/4dJ6Iqw

Bonus: Individuals living in Carbon, Emery, and Grand counties are eligible for a $50 incentive per session attended.

04/01/2026

Join our upcoming Speaker Series featuring Megan Vernon, CMHC, for a four-part virtual training on DBT Strategies for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders.

This series will take place on May 1, 8, 15, and 22 from 12:00–1:00 PM MDT. Drawing on more than a decade of clinical experience, Megan Vernon, Chief Clinical Officer at New Roads Behavioral Health and a certified EMDR trainer, will provide an overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) along with practical, real-world strategies for treating substance use disorders. Her expertise in trauma-focused care and co-occurring conditions offers valuable insight for professionals working in behavioral health.

This training is made possible in part through support from the Utah Center for Rural Health Psychostimulant Grant.

Register here: bit.ly/4dJ6Iqw

Individuals living in Carbon, Emery, and Grand counties are eligible to receive a $50 educational incentive per session attended.

03/31/2026

DBT Strategies for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
Presented by Megan Vernon, CMHC, EMDR Trainer

This session will provide an overview of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and highlight specific strategies that can be applied in clinical practice, including skills implementation and chain analysis to better support individuals with substance use disorders.

Date: April 17, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM (MT)
Format: Virtual (Zoom)
Continuing Education: CMEs available

Register here: https://utah-health.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkfuyrrzgiHtOg6u7jqBzZcHFdY5jHfu4v #/registration

For those interested in a deeper dive, Megan Vernon will also be leading a four-part virtual DBT Speaker Series hosted by the Utah Center for Rural Health on May 1, 8, 15, and 22, offering expanded training on these topics. More information on this four-part series will be forthcoming; stay tuned.

06/12/2025

🚨 We're Hiring! 🚨
The Utah Center for Rural Health at Southern Utah University is looking for a passionate, community-minded professional to join our team as a Community Projects Program Coordinator in Cedar City, Utah.

Salary: $42,000/year
Location: Cedar City, UT (with some travel required)
First Review Date: June 17, 2025

This full-time position plays a critical role in supporting health initiatives across rural Utah. From opioid reduction efforts to strengthening the nursing workforce and behavioral health support, this role directly impacts underserved communities.

We're looking for someone with:
✔️ A strong background in rural health or community-based work
✔️ Excellent communication and organizational skills
✔️ A passion for creating real, measurable change
✔️ Experience coordinating grants, contracts, or community health programs

This is a grant-funded position, so adaptability and initiative are key as program priorities may evolve.

If you—or someone you know—has experience in community engagement, rural health, or population health programming, we want to hear from you.

🔗 Apply here: bit.ly/ucrh-cppc

02/06/2025

There has been a 41% decrease in daily opioid prescription use since 2017!!

08/13/2024

Fentanyl is being brought into the state at high volumes, & Utah is seeing a surge in fentanyl deaths. See how this is impacting rural communities & what they are doing to stop it:

Utah has seen a surge of fentanyl deaths. This rural community experiences it firsthand and wants to recover

11/21/2023

We are delighted to extend an invitation to you for the Integrative Primary Care and Substance Use Disorder Treatment ECHO! (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) These informative and engaging sessions will be held on the third Friday of every month from noon to 1, starting from January 19, 2024.

We look forward to your active participation in this enriching series! If you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact [email protected]

11/11/2023

Such exciting news out of Price, UT!

Now Open! Castleview Healing Horizons, an addiction and recovery resource for the local community.

“After working in the Urgent Care for the last six years, I am excited for the new opportunity to care for those within our community who struggle with addiction and support them on their journey in recovery," stated Michael Clark, FNP-C and lead provider at Castleview Healing Horizons.

Read the full press release at the link below.
https://www.castleviewhospital.net/news/castleview-healing-horizons-offers-support-for-addiction-and-recovery

08/23/2023

Here's another opioid fact! In any given week, opioids are responsible for eight out of ten adult drug overdose deaths in Utah. It's easy to forget how dangerous opioids can be, so stay safe and and visit utahopioids.org for resources and answers to your opioid questions! 💊❓

08/23/2023

Here’s another opioid fact! In any given week, opioids are responsible for eight out of ten adult drug overdose deaths in Utah. It’s easy to forget how dangerous opioids can be, so stay safe and and visit utahopioids.org for resources and answers to your opioid questions! 💊💉❔