Our Forge VFR (Veterans & First Responders) program is partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veteran Affairs and the nonprofit organization PsychArmor to provide free educational resources to veterans, active-duty military, and their families confronting opioid use disorder (OUD) in Pennsylvania. Opioid use is an ongoing national crisis, and in Pennsylvania alone, there have been more than 45,000 emergency room visits related to OUD since 2018.
Substance use can be a response to stress and trauma, and as such, it disproportionately affects the military and veteran communities. Forge VFR’s free resources help veterans, active-duty military, and their families better understand the signs and symptoms of opioid dependence, reduce the risk of overdose, and find local health care and treatment options to begin recovery.
Available at opioids.forgehealth.com, these free Forge VFR resources leverage both original material and short online courses developed by PsychArmor, a national nonprofit organization that provides education and training to improve the health and life outcomes of military-connected individuals. Courses for veterans, active-duty military, family members, and caregivers are included, and we’re publicized their availability through online and streaming audio advertising.
For Eric Golnick, CEO of Forge VFR, this is an issue that hits close to home. “As a veteran who has lost close friends to opioid use disorder, I know how vital it is that the military community understands the risk factors associated with OUD and knows what resources are available to them,” Golnick said. “We are honored to partner with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veteran Affairs and PsychArmor to provide this life-saving education and treatment to veterans, families and caregivers throughout Pennsylvania.”
If you or a loved one is active-duty military or a veteran in Pennsylvania, please visit opioids.forgehealth.com to learn more.
