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Archived Webinars
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“Leading the Charge: Everything I Know Now, I Wish I Knew Then”—Peer Mentor Edition
Webinar - 10/24/2024
Join us for a webinar in which experts from IIR and overdose fatality review (OFR) peer mentor program leaders share their experiences supporting the growth and implementation of OFRs and serving in mentor site roles. This peer-to-peer conversation will highlight the realities faced by OFRs, site mentor experiences, and existing resources to help mentees and OFR teams navigate the complexities of implementation and expansion.
Meet Your Presenters
- Julius Dupree is a BJA Policy Advisor who oversees and manages projects that provide financial and training and technical assistance (TTA) resources to the criminal justice field, including OFR TTA.
- Lauren Savitskas is a senior research associate for IIR, with more than 8 years of experience with prevention and programming at the local, state, and national levels. Her focus includes coordination of support to OFR teams, rural OFR initiatives, next-of-kin interviews, the OFR peer mentor program, and training new OFR sites.
- Kimberly Reilly is a department head at the Ocean County, New Jersey, Health Department. In her role, she oversees the Department of Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Opioid Dependency and serves as the OFR coordinator and facilitator. Ms. Reilly possesses years of knowledge as a licensed professional counselor and has 13 years of public health experience.
- Lisa Fields is a fatal overdose review coordinator for the Bureau of Behavioral Health in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. She has more than 13 years of experience in health care administration and advocacy on behalf of traumatized youth. In her current role, Ms. Fields coordinates and facilitates OFR review efforts.
Last OFR Webinar in the series for 2024 -
"Leading the Charge: Everything I Know Now, I Wish I Knew Then—From State Coordination to National Training and Technical Assistance (TTA)”
Webinar - 8/28/2024
Join us for a webinar where experts from the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) share their experiences supporting the growth and implementation of county-level overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) from the state and national perspective. This peer-to-peer conversation will highlight the realities faced by OFRs and existing resources to help navigate the complexities of implementation and expansion.
Leading the Charge Webinar Series -
Leading the Charge: Everything I Know Now, I Wish I Knew Then in Public Safety
Webinar - 6/26/2024
Join us for a webinar where law enforcement professionals from the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) share their experiences while supporting locally based overdose fatality review (OFR) initiatives and their transition to ORS. The ORS helps jurisdictions reduce overdoses by partnering with public health and public safety agencies, sharing information and pertinent intelligence, and supporting innovative and evidence-based strategies. This peer-to-peer conversation will highlight the realities faced by OFRs and existing resources to help navigate the complexities of implementation and expansion from a public safety perspective.
Meet Your Presenters
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Shaun Doyne is the drug intelligence officer for the Wisconsin ORS. With more than 26 years of law enforcement experience, he supports statewide and local overdose prevention and response efforts at the intersection of public health and public safety, facilitating cross-sector collaboration and supporting evidence-based strategies.
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Julius Dupree is a BJA Policy Advisor who oversees and manages projects that provide financial and training and technical assistance (TTA) resources to the criminal justice field, including OFR TTA.
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Chris Jakim serves as the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Deputy National Coordinator for the ORS. With more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, he offers his knowledge and expertise in the oversight of programmatic operations, prevention strategies, and public outreach efforts.
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Mallory O’Brien is an associate scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with 25 years of work in the overdose and violence prevention field. With her extensive knowledge in public health, she supports overdose prevention, OFR, and public safety and health interventions.
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OFR Webinar: Leading the Charge Everything I Know Now, I Wish I Knew Then
Webinar - 4/24/2024
Join us for a webinar where experts from the New Jersey Department of Health and Altarum’s Community Health share their insights and experiences while leading and developing locally based overdose fatality review (OFR) initiatives. OFR involves a series of confidential individual death reviews by a multidisciplinary team to effectively identify system gaps and innovative community-specific opportunities to prevent future overdoses. This peer-to-peer conversation will highlight the realities faced by OFRs and existing resources to help navigate the complexities of implementation and expansion.
Meet Your Presenters
- Jessica Atkinson serves as the project director for the New Jersey Department of Health’s OFR teams. With more than a decade of experience, she offers a wealth of knowledge on interdisciplinary health services in state and local sectors.
- Julius Dupree is a BJA Policy Advisor who oversees and manages projects that provide financial and training and technical assistance (TTA) resources to the criminal justice field, including OFR TTA.
- Melissa Heinen is the OFR manager for IIR. With extensive knowledge and experience, she provides oversight of staff members and programmatic activities, including coordination and provision of support to OFR teams.
- Tyrina Taylor is a behavioral health technical assistance specialist for Altarum’s Community Health. With 12 years of experience in public health, she is a leading expert in community-based partnerships to decrease drug overdoses and formerly worked with the Butler County, Ohio, OFR.
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Enhanced OFR-PHAST Framework: Practical Tips for Implementation
Webinar - 8/16/2023
Multisector coordination, meeting structure, and data sharing are critical to implementing effective community overdose prevention programs. Overdose Fatality Review (OFR)-Public Health and Safety Team (PHAST) allows for multi-disciplinary aggregate and case-level data sharing, analysis, and interpretation to identify and implement recommendations to prevent future overdoses.
This webinar will discuss the recently enhanced OFR-PHAST framework and how to structure staffing, meetings, and member participation to effectively prevent overdose.
Presenters
- Melissa Heinen, RN, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Sonia Berdahl, MAS, Public Health Advisor, CDC (Presenter)
Resources
This webinar will discuss the recently enhanced OFR-PHAST framework and how to structure staffing, meetings, and member participation to effectively prevent overdose. -
Xylazine Trends and Toxicology: Role of an Overdose Fatality Review
Webinar - 5/18/2023
The White House Office of National Drug Control and Policy recently officially designated fentanyl adulterated or associated with xylazine as an emerging threat. Xylazine is a non-opioid tranquilizer approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for veterinary use but not human use. The presence of xylazine in combination with fentanyl varies across geography and is rapidly worsening negative health consequences among those who use substances.
A growing number of communities are using overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) to combat the overdose crisis. As OFRs across the country see a growing number of fatalities with xylazine involved, it is important to recruit members who can assist with understanding substance trends in the area and interpreting toxicology results.
This webinar will assist OFRs in understanding emerging drug trends and the role various partners play in addressing and preventing this growing public health issue.
During this webinar, presenters will:
- Describe xylazine and fentanyl drug trends.
- Review medical use and signs and symptoms of fentanyl and xylazine use and withdrawal.
- Explain xylazine toxicology, lab testing, and medical treatment.
- Summarize the roles of High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) and poison centers/toxicologists as OFR members.
Presenters
- Kahrlton Moore, Director, BJA (Opening Remarks)
- Mallory O'Brien, MS, PhD, Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSUP and Consultant, IPA, CDC (Welcome)
- Melissa Heinen, BSN, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Captain Jason Piotrowski, Office of Drug Monitoring and Analysis, New Jersey State Police (Presenter)
- Daniel Brooks, MD, Medical Director, Banner Poison and Drug Information Center, Phoenix, Arizona (Presenter)
Resources
This webinar will assist OFRs in understanding emerging drug trends and the role various partners play in addressing and preventing this growing public health issue. -
Data to Action Through Public Health and Public Safety Partnerships: OFR and PHAST
Webinar - 3/3/2023
Multisector coordination and data sharing is critical to implementing effective community drug overdose prevention programs. Both case-level data and aggregate-level data should be used to get a deeper understanding of missed opportunities for preventing an overdose death and to see patterns across systems. The Public Health and Safety Team (PHAST) Framework and Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementation are two interrelated resources that communities can use to establish multidisciplinary teams, facilitate data sharing, and develop and implement effective programs to prevent overdose.
This webinar will discuss the value of multidisciplinary approaches to prevent overdose and walk through an example of how case reviews and aggregate data reviews can contribute to developing a program to serve individuals recently released from jail.
Presenters- Mallory O'Brien, MS, PhD, Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSAP and Consultant, IPA, CDC (Welcome)
- Melissa Heinen, BSN, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Sarisa Roe, MPH, Research Evaluation Analyst, CDC Foundation (Presenter)
- Sonia Berdahl, MAS, Public Health Advisor, CDC (Presenter)
ResourcesThis webinar will discuss the value of multidisciplinary approaches to prevent overdose. -
OFR Annual Report: Empowering Community Action
Webinar - 2/15/2023
Through the blending of public health, public safety, behavioral health, medicolegal death investigations, and other services providers, overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) collect data on the decedent’s life and effectively identify system gaps to develop data-driven, community-specific overdose prevention and intervention strategies. OFR annual reports summarizes the OFR findings, highlight data trends, clarify community needs, and shares recommendations identified to address substance use and related deaths in communities. By using an annual report to clearly highlight the work done by an OFR, state and local partners can understand and support the OFR findings to ensure implementation.
This webinar will highlight what to include in your annual report and how your annual report can help communicate to stakeholders and the community what the OFR learned and what changes it made to prevent future substance-involved deaths.
During the webinar, presenters will:
- Review the purpose and value of an annual report.
- Provide an overview of collecting and summarizing data to include in an annual report.
- Share examples of annual reports and dissemination strategies.
- Highlight how to use an annual report to mobilize the community and action.
Presenters
- Mallory O'Brien, MS, PhD, Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSAP and Consultant, IPA, CDC (Welcome)
- Melissa Heinen, BSN, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Merilee Fowler, Executive Director, MATFORCE and Community Counts (Presenter)
Resources
This webinar will highlight what to include in your annual report and how your annual report can help communicate lessons learned to stakeholders and the community. -
Understanding and Addressing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Stigma Among Public Health and Public Safety Professionals
Webinar - 10/24/2022
Stigma toward SUD impacts every professional field—especially public health and public safety—and influences how we work with people suffering from SUD. This webinar discusses roles everyone has in understanding and addressing SUD stigma to reduce barriers to care and improve the health outcomes of people living with SUD.
Presenters
- Sam Robertson, Senior Research Associate, IIR
- Robert DeVries, Program Director, Mohave Substance Treatment Education and Prevention Partnership
Resources
This webinar explains the origins and consequences of SUD stigma and shares strategies to address and reduce SUD stigma in public health and public safety professional settings. -
Overdose Fatality Review Mentor Program Relaunch Overview
Webinar - 9/21/2022
The Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Mentor Program provides a unique opportunity to learn the application and practice of OFR from experienced peers. By building connections between OFR teams that have demonstrated success and those nascent teams, promising practices and national standards are elevated, communicated, and leveraged. This webinar will highlight the new OFR Mentor Program sites and include information on how to engage with the program, differences between the OFR Mentor and OFR Mentor Plus tracks, and getting the most out of the opportunity. In addition, the webinar will highlight a Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, mentee experience.
During the webinar, the presenters will:
- Provide an overview of the OFR Mentor Program relaunch.
- Highlight the benefits of observing and receiving feedback from the mentor sites.
- Demonstrate the advantages of participating in the OFR Mentor Program from a former mentee site.
Presenters
- Mallory O'Brien, MS, PhD, Senior Scientist, BJA COSSAP and Consultant, IPA, CDC (Welcome)
- Lauren Savitskas, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Carina Havenstrite, Program Manager, Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office (Presenter)
Resources
This webinar will highlight the new OFR Mentor Program sites and include information on how to engage with the program and differences between the OFR Mentor and OFR Mentor Plus tracks. -
OFR Evaluation: Resources and Practical Steps for Implementation
Webinar - 8/17/2022
Evaluations should serve programmatic needs to ensure that high-quality initiatives are developed, are reaching program goals, and are tested for effectiveness. To provide guidance on evaluating overdose fatality review (OFR) initiatives, the CDC developed the Evaluation Profile for Overdose Fatality Reviews as a companion document to the Overdose Fatality Review: A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementation.
This webinar will provide advice on the types of evaluation questions, indicators, data sources, and data collection methods that may be used to evaluate OFRs and highlight an OFR experience using these tools to evaluate their initiative.
During the webinar, the presenters will:
- Explain the need for evaluation.
- Outline how to evaluate an OFR.
- Highlight the use of OFR evaluation tools.
Presenters
- Mallory O'Brien, MS, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSAP and Consultant, IPA, CDC (Welcome)
- Melissa Heinen, BSN, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Christina Galardi, MPH, MCRP, South Carolina Public Health Analyst, Overdose Response Strategy (Presenter)
- Minda D. Reed, MD, MPH, CDC Health Scientist/Evaluator (Presenter)
- Adreana D. Tipton, MPH, CDC Evaluator/ORISE Fellow (Presenter)
Resources
This webinar provided advice on the types of evaluation questions, indicators, data sources, and data collection methods that may be used to evaluate OFRs. -
Self-Care and Bereavement Support Throughout the Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Process
Webinar - 7/20/2022
Overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) examine the complex life-journey and system engagements of individuals who have died in order to inform community-based prevention and intervention strategies. Sometimes OFR team members may experience psychological effects from repeated exposure to trauma resulting in compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, and burnout if not prevented. Some strategies to address responding agencies’ burnout includes self-care and providing bereavement support for family members, friends, and loved ones after a loss.
This webinar will discuss various strategies that can be employed throughout the review process, such as compassionate facilitation, self-care, and bereavement support.
During the webinar, the presenters will:
- Provide an overview of what self-care incorporates.
- Highlight strategies OFR teams can utilize to embed self-care throughout OFR team meetings.
- Describe the need for bereavement supports for family, friends and loved ones after a fatal overdose.
- Provide an understanding of what encompasses bereavement services and supports.
Presenters- Melissa Heinen, BSN, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Lauren Savitskas, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR (Presenter)
- Linzi Horsley, M.A., Fetal-Infant Mortality Review Program Manager, Indiana Department of Health (Presenter)
Resources
This webinar discussed various strategies that can be employed throughout the review process, such as compassionate facilitation, self-care, and bereavement support. -
Success Story: Overdose Fatality Review Use of Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program Data
Webinar - 6/15/2022
The Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) provides near real-time suspected overdose surveillance data across jurisdictions to support public safety and public health efforts to mobilize an immediate response to a sudden increase, or spike, in overdose events. ODMAP can provide overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) with information of suspected overdose events to better understand community context and trends related to the overdose deaths reviewed.
The webinar will feature six panelists discussing ODMAP and OFR. Panelists will provide an overview of ODMAP, provide guidance to prospective users on how to get started with ODMAP, and highlight an OFR team's experience using ODMAP data to inform their prevention planning and implementation. The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session with the attendees.
Presenters
- Mallory O'Brien, M.S., Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSAP, and Consultant, IPA, CDC
- Lauren Savitskas, MPH, Senior Research Associate, IIR
- Ali Burrell, MPH, ODMAP Program Manager, Washington/Baltimore HIDTA
- Kimberly L. Reilly, M.A., L.P.C., Alcohol and Drug Coordinator, Ocean County, New Jersey, Health Department
- Captain Jason Piotrowski, Office of Drug Monitoring and Analysis, New Jersey State Police
Resources
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Law Enforcement's and First Responders' Roles in Overdose Prevention—Deflection and Overdose Fatality Review
Webinar - 5/18/2022
Overdose fatality reviews (OFR) across the nation convene multidisciplinary partners to identify missed opportunities for prevention and intervention to ultimately develop recommendations to prevent future overdoses. Law enforcement and other first responders are key OFR members and are on the front lines of addressing illicit substance use and misuse, frequently encountering individuals with substance use disorder and responding to drug overdose calls. This webinar will highlight the roles deflection and referral pathways, led by law enforcement and other first responders, play in reducing overdoses and as partners to OFR.
The webinar will feature three panelists discussing OFR and deflection and pre-arrest diversion initiatives. Panelists will describe the goals and purposes of each initiative, discuss the complementary nature of each to initiate or enhance the other, and what resources and supports are available for local communities to enhance their prevention efforts. The webinar will conclude with a Q & A session with the attendees.
Presenters
- Mallory O'Brien, M.S., Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSAP and Consultant, IPA, CDC
- Melissa Heinen, R.N., M.P.H., Senior Research Associate, IIR
- Hope Fiori, Center for Health and Justice at Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC)
- Jac Charlier, M.P.A, Executive Director, Center for Health and Justice at TASC
Resources
- Presentation Slides (Coming Soon)
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Overdose Fatality Review: National Standards
Webinar - 4/20/2022
A nationally recognized model, overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) are being used by a growing number of communities to strengthen their local responses to the opioid epidemic. To ensure the effectiveness of OFRs, national standards have been developed. These national standards are based on multiple state and local jurisdictions’ OFR and other fatality review practice-based experiences. This webinar will give participants an overview of OFR national standards to implement to achieve success.
Presenters
- Melissa Heinen, B.S.N., M.P.H., Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Lauren Savitskas, M.P.H., Senior Research Associate, IIR (Presenter)
- Mallory O'Brien, M.S., Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, BJA COSSAP and Consultant, IPA, CDC (Welcome)
Resources
This webinar will give participants an overview of OFR national standards to implement to achieve success. -
Next-of-Kin Interviews
Webinar - 3/16/2022
A next-of-kin interview provides an in-depth look at how someone lived, their social supports and the circumstances that lead to an overdose death. Next-of-kin interviews are tools overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) can use to expand their understanding of the life experiences of a decedent and identify non-traditional touchpoints or systems that may not be represented by the OFR members. This webinar will give participants an overview of a next-of-kin interview, explain the importance of a next-of-kin interview, and discuss new available resources for the field to support the use of next-of-kin interviews.
Presenters
- Lauren Savitskas, M.P.H., Senior Research Associate, IIR (Moderator)
- Megan Broekemeier, M.P.H., C.H.E.S, Office of the Medical Examiner, Utah Department of Health (Presenter)
- Melissa Weisel, MSW, LCSW, MSM, New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) (Presenter)
- Mallory O'Brien, M.S., Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, BJA, COSSAP, Consultant IPA, CDC (Welcome)
Resources
This webinar will give participants an overview of a next-of-kin interview, explain the importance of a NOK interview, and discuss new resources for the field to support the use of NOK interviews. -
The NEW OFR Data System: Everything You Need To Know To Get Started
Webinar - 2/16/2022
This webinar provides information on the new Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Data System.
This webinar provides information on the new Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Data System. -
Uncovering the Connection Between a History of Problematic Substance Use and Brain Injury Matters in Overdose Fatality Review
Webinar - 6/3/2021
This webinar will share lessons learned through Maryland’s collaboration with state and local public health and prevention professionals as well as the brain injury community to increase awareness of the link between brain injury and opioid use. Specific strategies to assist Overdose Fatality Review teams (OFRs) conduct OFR through a brain injury informed lens will be shared, and policy and clinical interventions to reduce fatal overdose among individuals who use drugs and are living with a history of brain injury will be discussed.
Presenter
Anastasia B. Edmonston, M.S., CRC, currently works for the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration. Her work focuses on training behavioral health professionals and others on the topics of traumatic brain injury and person-centered thinking and planning and their intersection with brain injury, substance use, and mental health. She has worked in the field of rehabilitation services for individuals with traumatic and acquired brain injuries for more than 30 years—in both inpatient and outpatient services—as a case manager, a program coordinator, an advocate, and a vocational rehabilitation counselor. She obtained her master of science degree in rehabilitation counseling from Boston University, is a certified rehabilitation counselor and earned a postgraduate certificate from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in instructional systems development. She is a certified mental health first aid instructor and person-centered thinking trainer. Additional biography information is available at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-edmonston-8848095/.Webinar Resources
- Acquired Brian Injury Screening Tool
- Harm Reduction Analysis Through a Brain Injury Informed Lens
- Lifetime History of Traumatic Brain Injury (from the OSU TBI-ID) and other Acquired Brain Injuries
- Looking for Clues: Overdose Fatality Review Through a Brain Injury Informed Lens
- Opioids and Brain Injury Facts for Individuals and Families
- Opioids and Brain Injury Facts for Public Health & Substance Use Professionals
- Presentation Slides
- State Program Directory—National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)
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Investigation and Certification of Drug Toxicity Deaths Training
Webinar - 2/8/2021
The goal of this course is to promote the use of current evidence-based practices for investigation, evaluation, and certification of drug toxicity deaths. This course is comprised of four modules described below:
- Module 1: Overview of Medicolegal Death Investigation
- Module 2: Introduction to Scene Investigation
- Module 3: Autopsy & Postmortem Toxicology
- Module 4: Death Certification for Drug Toxicity Deaths
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Rural-focused OFR Webinar
Webinar - 8/24/2020
The presentation focuses on how to best meet your local community's needs and resources. The webinar features promising practices from rural-based peers who are using OFRs in their communities.
This webinar discusses how to expand the use of Overdose Fatality Reviews (OFRs) into non-urban centers. -
Overdose Fatality Review Teams: Partnerships with PDMPs
Webinar - 8/11/2020
Also included in the webinar are the topics of challenges of participating and sharing data and how the challenges may be overcome and a discussion of how PDMP programs may build a relationship with their local OFRs.
This webinar highlights OFRs and the benefits of OFR and PDMP partnerships. -
Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) and COVID-19 Response
Webinar - 5/7/2020
OFR teams across the country want to maintain momentum and stay connected with their overdose prevention colleagues during the COVID-19 response. Virtual meetings can help meet this goal.
To view a PDF version of the slide deck that was used during this presentation, click here.
Learn from a panel of OFR professionals how they are meeting virtually to focus on OFR activities other than case reviews. -
Partnerships for Prevention: Overdose Fatality Review 101
Webinar - 1/16/2020
Blending input from public health, criminal justice, public safety, providers, and the community provides a deeper understanding of the missed opportunities for prevention and intervention. Identifying gaps helps drive the development of program and policy recommendations to improve coordination and collaboration between agencies and community conditions to prevent future overdose deaths.
Presenters
- Mallory O'Brien, M.S., Ph.D., Senior Research Advisor, National Institute of Justice
- Melissa Heinen, R.N., M.P.H., Senior Research Associate, Institute for Intergovernmental Research
To view a PDF version of the slide deck from this webinar, click here.
Overdose fatality review (OFR) is an effective way to identify innovative community-specific overdose prevention strategies. -
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Why Addiction is a 'Disease' and Why It’s Important
Webinar - 4/26/2018
This webcast is accompanied by a Resource Guide.
This webcast discusses the definition of disease and why it is particularly important for addiction to be emphasized as a disease. -
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Overcoming Stigma, Ending Discrimination Webcast
Webinar - 3/28/2018
The panelists discuss methods to shift away from the use of negative concepts as an organizing paradigm to address socially discrediting health problems. Additionally, this webcast is accompanied by a Resource Guide.
This webcast discusses the ways that discriminatory perceptions are harmful to individuals suffering from substance use disorder.