EVERFI Releases Adult Prescription Drug Safety and Mental Wellness Resource

EVERFI, Inc., the leading social impact education innovator, today announced the general availability of EVERFI Elevate, a mobile-first learning solution that provides critical health and wellness information. Expanding on the work of EVERFI’s Prescription Drug Safety Network, EVERFI Elevate provides access to adult prescription drug safety and mental health resources just-in-time, exactly when and how it is needed by the learner. Elevate’s education playlists cover critical topics including prescription opioid and stimulant safety and mental health and well-being.

Mental well-being and prescription drug misuse were already critical issues, but as the country is facing a national public health crisis with the coronavirus pandemic, American’s mental health has further declined while overdoses appear to be increasing. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, one-third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, a significant increase from before the pandemic. Also alarming is the increase in suspected overdoses since the start of state-mandated stay-at-home orders in mid-March. The Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) identified a 17.59 percent increase in overdoses between March 19, 2020, and May 19, 2020, “with more than 61 percent of ODMAP participating counties reporting an increase” over that period of time.

EVERFI Elevate includes vital information on prescription drug safety and mental wellness for adult communities across the globe and offers three playlists that consist of a total of 18 interactive, microlearning experiences. Using videos, surveys, and scenarios, each sequence runs 5-7 minutes in length, making it easily consumable. Some of the topics covered include reading and understanding a prescription bottle label and medication guide; responsible use, storage, and disposal of prescription medication; recognizing opioid misuse and opioid use disorder; mental health awareness; strategies for seeking support for a mental health challenge; and coping techniques.

“The country’s mental health and substance misuse problems did not start with the coronavirus pandemic, but certainly it has not helped the current situation and there is no more important time than now to provide patient education around these issues,” said Jon Chapman, president and co-founder, EVERFI. “Through the Prescription Drug Safety Network, we have reached more than 600,000 high school students on these important topics in just three years and the time is now to turn our attention to the adult community as well. With the support of our Network members, we are thrilled to be able to build on our success and offer a resource that promotes healthy behaviors around substance use and positive mental health.”

For those seeking to address this issue themselves, there is no shortage of available information online; Internet searches for health issues leave consumers information-rich, but knowledge poor. By putting evidence-based best practices into action, EVERFI Elevate seeks to offer a proactive “what you need to know now” set of short, easy to digest modules that a learner can quickly click through to find the exact information they need when they need it. Additionally, EVERFI’s approach uses positive framing and skill-building to increase the learners’ confidence, knowledge, and bias towards action when it comes to making healthy decisions around key health topics. A team of more than10 subject matter experts was enlisted to develop the content in each playlist.

When left untreated, mental health challenges, substance misuse, and other health and wellness issues can cause death, lost productivity for businesses, increases in crime, public assistance and social services, taxpayer health care costs, and a variety of other interpersonal and societal issues. However, mental health education provides individuals with skills that can bolster their confidence, boost their emotional intelligence, and help recognize signs that they (or someone else) may be in need of support — as well as where to go to get such support. Additionally, substance misuse prevention education presents individuals with an opportunity to develop and hone refusal skills, identify risk factors, and increase pro-social, healthy behaviors.

“Companies and community leaders cannot simply do more of what they have done in the past to ignore the issues facing their communities and bottom line. Companies need to invest in the health and well-being of the communities where they do business,” said Chapman. “Evidence-based interventions, especially when combined with other protective factors such as supportive family, work, and community environments, can have a profound impact on well-being and can prevent or significantly mitigate some of the greatest challenges that people face.”

To learn more about EVERFI Elevate, visit everfi.com/community-engagement/elevate.