Opioid-Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Program (OADPOP) Academy

The OADPOP Academy is a signature learning pathway within the POINT Center, designed to strengthen Maryland’s drug user health workforce through accessible, skills-based training.


The Academy blends on-demand modules, live practice sessions, and community storytelling to build practical, real-world competencies for anyone engaging with people at risk for overdose.


The Academy supports new and experienced outreach staff, community-based organizations, and health and social service professionals across Maryland. Participants receive certificates of completion for each module or series completed.

**Registration for the Academy is now closed. Please register here for the Fall 2026 Cohort. It will open on August 14, 2026.**

Part One: Foundations of Drug User Health

Provides the foundational knowledge needed to support people at risk for overdose with dignity, safety, and evidence-informed practice. This includes three (3) self-paced modules followed by a live skills practice session.

  • Module 1: Introduction to Drug User Health
  • Module 2: Understanding Opioid Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Programs
  • Module 3: Motivational Interviewing for Drug User Health
  • Live session: Practicing Motivational Interviewing Techniques
    September 1 & 3

Part Two: Core People Skills

Designed to strengthen the interpersonal skills essential to effective outreach, this pathway helps participants build confident, respectful communication with clients and communities.

  • Module 4: Outreach and Engagement with People at Risk for Overdose
  • Module 5: De-escalation and Conflict Management
  • Live session: Applied Outreach and De-escalation 
    September 15 & 17

Part Three: Technical and Clinical Skills

A deeper dive into the tools, protocols, and applied skills needed to support safe, informed drug user health outreach.

  • Module 6: Common Drugs and Methods of Intake
  • Module 7: Wound Care
  • Module 8: Drug Checking as Care: Test Strip Training
  • Module 9: Overdose Prevention and Response
  • Live session: Hands-On Technical Skills for Drug User Health
    September 29 & October 1