Fasiat Agaba is a program coordinator at Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. (TTC) coordinating two SAPC (Substance Abuse Prevention and Control) programs, one targeting overdose prevention education and technical assistance for providers called ODHRTA (Overdose Prevention & Harm Reduction Technical Assistance) and the other focusing on recruiting community members into Tarzana Treatment Centers College’s Substance Use Disorder Certification Program called TIP (Tuition Incentive Program). Fasiat’s journey at TTC started in the year of 2019, after graduating from California State University, Northridge with her bachelor’s degree in public health. It was then when Fasiat joined her first program (MAT Youth Expansion) as a Health Educator, training youth and young adults on opioid awareness and MAT medications in LA County. It was also at this time that Fasiat grew a passion for program development and training the community on harm reduction and substance use prevention. What was most fascinating to her was the impact of something as seemingly simple as a training presentation and what that can do for communities who don’t have access to the information or resources that can save their very own friends and family who are most impacted by the opioid epidemic.  

      Fasiat continued her professional development at TTC in the Health Educator II position, training high school aged youth using curriculum-based drug prevention courses as part of TTC’s youth services, Adolescent Prevention Services Program or APS. Now, as program coordinator of ODHRTA and TIP, Fasiat is dedicated to successfully implementing overdose prevention trainings and technical assistance in naloxone distribution as well as making sure students feel motivated enough to complete their SUD certification to help make a difference in so many people lives who are going through recovery.