The Texas Opioid Training Initiative provides education and clinical resources to prevent opioid overdoses and other forms of opioid-related harm in Texas. TXOTI was initially founded as Operation Naloxone in 2016 at The University of Texas at Austin by collaborators from the College of Pharmacy, School of Social Work, and Texas Overdose Naloxone Initiative.
DIRECTOR & LEAD INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Hill graduated from the UMKC School of Pharmacy and completed a combined residency/fellowship in the UPMC Department of Family Medicine. He is now a clinical assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy where he founded the PhARM Program and led implementation of Operation Naloxone. His research is focused on clinician-community collaborations to address substance use disorders through evidence-based treatment and harm reduction strategies.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR & HARM REDUCTION INSTRUCTOR
Ms. Zagorski earned a Bachelor’s Degree at The University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s Degree at The University of North Texas Health Science Center. She has practiced clinically as a paramedic in multiple treatment settings, including as a member of the Austin Harm Reduction Coalition. She founded Longhorn Stop the Bleed and is committed to supporting healthcare professionals who seek to integrate harm reduction principles in their practice.
INAUGURAL PHARM FELLOW
Dr. Loera graduated from The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in 2020 and is currently completing a two-year fellowship with the PhARM Program. In this role, she will develop an innovative clinical pharmacy practice at CARMAhealth and conduct statewide research exploring the pharmacist’s role in addiction treatment. She previously served as President of the Student Pharmacist Recovery Network and co-founded the Addiction Medicine Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience.
MEDICAL CONSULTANT & CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Tirado is board-certified in general and addiction psychiatry. He is the founder and chief medical officer of CARMAhealth, a patient-centered medical home for people with substance use disorder. Dr. Tirado also serves as President of the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Current leadership is provided by the Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine (PhARM) Program. Visit the PhARM Program website to learn more about their efforts, including proactive opioid overdose prevention at UT Austin.
The Texas Opioid Training Initiative is supported by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission via the Texas Targeted Opioid Response program. TTOR supports strategies to reduce the burden of the opioid overdose crisis on Texans, including prevention, treatment, and recovery services.