Operational Readiness for Corrections: Opioid Use Disorder Certificate Program
Harrisburg University has partnered with Zschool to offer learners asynchronous learning opportunities.
Equipping Correctional Officers & Facility Staff with Practical Skills to Respond to Opioid Use Disorder & Co-occurring Conditions
As a corrections professional, you face the ongoing challenges of managing individuals who may struggle with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and co-occurring mental health conditions while maintaining order, safety, and security. This four-hour, online, self-paced course is designed specifically for correctional officers, supervisors, and facility staff to strengthen your ability to respond safely, effectively, and professionally to OUD-related incidents within custody settings. Learn proven strategies for de-escalation, recognizing signs of OUD, reducing risk, and connecting individuals to appropriate care and recovery resources.
About the Program
This course prepares correctional professionals to confidently address the reality of the opioid crisis inside corrections facilities. With opioid-related incidents increasing nationwide, correctional staff must be equipped with practical, trauma-informed strategies that support both safety and rehabilitation. Across four focused modules, you’ll explore OUD fundamentals, co-occurring mental health conditions,
overdose prevention and response, legal considerations, and de-escalation tactics designed for correctional settings.
By applying the CARE approach – Calm the Scene, Assess Behavior and Intent, Respond with Empathy and Structure, Engage Support and Follow Up – you’ll learn to manage high-stress encounters more effectively, strengthen communication, and foster a safer, more stable facility environment.
Enroll in the Operational Readiness for Corrections: OUD Program Today!
4 Modules Online ($450 per Person)
- Start today – conveniently self-paced learning!
- Includes your Course Workbook & all course materials.
- Enjoy hands-on projects & interactive discussions.
- Earn your Certificate of Completion in just 4 hours!
Program Curriculum
Each module builds essential skills for handling OUD-related incidents and behavioral health challenges in custody. Using the CARE framework as a guide – Calm the scene and lower tensions, Assess behavior and intent, Respond with empathy and structure, Engage support and follow up – this course delivers real-world, actionable techniques for calming volatile situations, communicating with empathy and professionalism, and supporting recovery-based responses within the correctional environment.
Included is the Operational Readiness for Corrections: OUD Power-Pack, featuring the course workbook, scenario-based exercises, eBooks, posters, quick-reference guides, and templates – all designed to reinforce learning and support everyday practice long after course completion.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Recognize signs of OUD and co-occurring mental health conditions among individuals in custody.
- Understand how behavioral health challenges impact safety, stability, and rehabilitation.
- Respond effectively to overdose and withdrawal emergencies within a facility.
- Apply trauma-informed communication and de-escalation strategies appropriate for correctional settings.
- Collaborate with internal and external partners to connect individuals to treatment and recovery resources.
- Develop a CARE-based action plan for safe, structured crisis response.
Module 1 – Calm: Understanding OUD & Co-occurring Conditions Behind the Walls
Gain a clear understanding of OUD and the unique challenges it presents in custody. Learn how co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD influence behavior and how early recognition can prevent escalation.
Module 2 – Assess: Recognizing Risk & Reading Behavior
Sharpen your skills in recognizing the physical and behavioral signs of opioid use disorder and withdrawal. Practice assessing situations more clearly and avoiding common misinterpretations that can lead to unnecessary confrontation. Learn practical techniques to slow things down, use what you observe, and make safer, more informed decisions in the moment.
Module 3 – Respond: Best Practices for Facility Collaboration
Explore why communication can make the difference between escalation and resolution. Learn how tone, body language, and instructions shape outcomes in high-stress situations. Discover one of the biggest traps officers face – power struggles – and apply calm, clarity, and leadership in practice.
Module 4 – Engage: Practical Application & Resource Utilization
Learn how to take CARE one step further — by engaging support, ensuring continuity of care, and strengthening the culture of your team. Focus on when and how to involve medical, mental health, or reentry specialists, and why what happens after a crisis matters just as much as what happens during it. Learn how CARE extends beyond individuals in crisis — it also applies to your colleagues and your facility culture.
Get Your Team Started Today!
Help your correctional team build the confidence and readiness to manage one of the most critical issues facing facilities today. This training gives officers and staff the tools to maintain safety, foster professionalism, and support recovery-centered approaches that improve both individual and organizational outcomes.
Program Instructors & Content Experts
The faculty and content advisors for this course are leading experts in corrections, behavioral health, and crisis intervention. Their experience in training, policy development, and on-the-ground response ensures that every module is relevant, realistic, and immediately applicable. Together, they’ll help you enhance your skills, strengthen your response, and make a meaningful impact within your facility.
Jane Sachs
Faculty Chair
Director of Training Services (Ret), Maryland
Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services
Jane Sachs is a seasoned correctional leader with more than 46 years of distinguished public service in corrections, training, and reentry. Most recently, she served as the Director of Training Services for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, overseeing training for more than 12,000 staff across 19 prisons, pre-trial facilities, and parole and probation divisions. Her leadership extended globally through a 10-year partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, delivering correctional training to over 20 countries, including extended in-country work in Uruguay, Mexico, and Armenia. These international efforts deepened Jane’s belief in the transformative power of staff training and ethical correctional practices.
Prior to her state-level role, Jane served 31 years with the Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, rising from intern to Director of Administration and Training. She led numerous initiatives in reentry, counseling, personnel development, and offender programming, managing a 60-bed community-based correctional unit and launching a highly regarded student internship program. As a private consultant for more than three decades, she has delivered training on professionalism, wellness, and ethics to agencies nationwide. Her contributions have earned numerous honors, including the prestigious John F. “Jack” DeWitt Award for her enduring impact on the Maryland correctional community. Jane holds a B.A. from The American University.
Jack Kavanagh
Director, Department of Corrections, Howard County
Jack Kavanagh brings more than 40 years of correctional leadership to his role as Director of the Howard County Department of Corrections, a position he has held since 2008 following five years as Deputy Director. Prior to his county leadership, Jack spent 24 years with the Maryland Division of Correction, where he held key roles including Warden, Assistant Commissioner, and Deputy Commissioner. His deep operational and strategic expertise in corrections is grounded in decades of experience leading institutions, shaping policy, and mentoring the next generation of correctional professionals.
Jack holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baltimore and has completed advanced leadership training through the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Corrections Executive Excellence Program and Leadership Howard County. He earned national recognition as a Certified Corrections Executive by the American Correctional Association and was honored with the
Maryland Bar Association’s Paul J. Davis Award in 2012 for his outstanding contributions to the field. Known for his focus on innovation, ethics, and systems improvement, Jack remains a highly respected voice in corrections reform and public safety leadership.
Morgan Pickering
Owner/CPS-MH/CPC-Public Safety
Morgan Pickering is a nationally recognized educator, peer counselor, and trauma-informed care specialist with extensive experience supporting law enforcement, fire, EMS, and veteran communities. As the founder of Pickering Support Services, LLC, she delivers specialized training on crisis intervention, suicide prevention, PTSD, and harm reduction. Morgan holds numerous certifications,
including Certified Peer Specialist–Mental Health (CPS-MH), Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator, and Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Her work bridges public safety and behavioral health, empowering first responders with practical tools to reduce risk and respond with compassion.
A sought-after speaker and trainer, Morgan contributes to national and regional conferences through NAMI Georgia, the EMS Association, and the National Association of EMS Educators. Her dedication has earned multiple accolades, including the NAMI Georgia Program Leader of the Year Award. Through initiatives like TIC4CIT (Trauma-Informed Care for Crisis Intervention Training), Morgan
blends lived experience with evidence-based practice, helping agencies build more resilient, informed, and connected teams.
Dan Lasher
Correctional Administrator
Daniel Lasher is a lifelong Maryland resident with over 35 years of experience in the corrections field, including three decades in administrative leadership. Before entering corrections, he served as a firefighter and EMT for 15 years, bringing a strong foundation in emergency response and public safety to his work. Throughout his career, Daniel has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing professional standards in correctional operations, leadership, and training.
Daniel has completed extensive advanced training through institutions such as the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, the U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections, and the Department of Homeland Security. His dedication has been recognized with numerous awards from organizations including the American Legion, VFW, Salvation Army, and the FBI, as well as a House Resolution from the Maryland House of Delegates. He has served as President of the Maryland Correctional Administrators Association and held key appointments to both the Maryland Correctional Training Commission and the Maryland Local Government Justice Reinvestment Commission.
Michael D. Branham
Maricopa County Constable (Arrowhead Precinct)/Presiding Constable, Maricopa County, Arizona
Michael Branham is a nationally respected public safety executive and educator with over 40 years of distinguished service across law enforcement, juvenile justice, and municipal leadership. A former Director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections and Executive Director of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Michael has led major organizational reforms, including reducing
juvenile recidivism and facility violence through cultural change initiatives. His broad experience includes roles as Police Chief, Assistant City Manager, and Presiding Constable of Maricopa County, as well as serving on the U.S. Department of Justice Medal of Valor Board, where he recommended candidates for the nation’s highest honor in public safety.
Michael is a sought-after consultant and trainer, lecturing at numerous colleges and academies on criminal justice, law enforcement leadership, and public sector innovation. His recognitions include the Arizona Police Corps Leadership Award, the French Medal of Merit for Juvenile Corrections Programming, and multiple honors from state and local agencies. With a master’s degree in Organizational Development and an FBI National Academy background, Michael brings both academic and operational expertise to
his work in transforming justice systems and mentoring the next generation of public safety leaders.
Contact Us
Take the next step today! Schedule a call with our program manager to explore how an exclusive training portal can be set up to benefit your entire department. Equip your team with the means to respond to the opioid crisis safely and effectively, while supporting individuals in crisis. Let’s work together to ensure your officers are fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
Lauren Mastroianni
Program Manager
Email: lmastroianni@zschool.com
Phone: 908.370.5299
For all program questions and information, please contact a program manager, who is best suited to answer your questions.
If you have a question specific to Harrisburg University, please contact Professional Education at Harrisburg University.
