Please join us on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 1 PM for the “Wound Care: Why It Matters” training session. You can register for this free event here.

According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), “Wounds and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are common complications of injection drug use (IDU) that disproportionately affect people who inject drugs (PWID) and are a major source of morbidity and mortality for this population.”  (Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8312019/.)

Stigma and shame among people who inject drugs can lead them to share or reuse needles, leading to infections such as sepsis, gangrene, amputation, and death. The illicit drug supply has also grown more dangerous where synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanyl are cut with substances such as xylazine, a large animal tranquilizer, known to create ulcers and abscesses that are slow to heal without adequate and consistent wound care.  This panel discussion, featuring local experts and practitioners, will provide an overview of wound care, why it is essential, and where wound care resources can be accessed in rural Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region.

Featured speakers include:

*Rachel Katz, NP Director, Addiction Services, and Katy Robbins, RN, FOH/Medical Respite, CSO

*Amy Pierno, PT, CWS, Wound Specialist, Tapestry

*Alyssa Ayala, PA and Medical Director, Western MA Woundcare

*Kristen Cuddy-Pease, Program Associate, Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region

This presentation is part of CONNECT’s 2024-2025 Education and Training Series. CONNECT is Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region’s post-opioid overdose follow-up and outreach initiative, providing support to individuals who have experienced or witnessed an overdose within 72 hours. It includes free naloxone distribution, overdose prevention and naloxone training, and other community outreach services to address substance and opioid use disorders.