Despite national efforts to reduce the impact, illicit substance abuse continues to rise in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that there were an average of 128 opioid related deaths per day in 2018. In order to meet the challenge head on, scientists, community leaders, justice professionals, and everyday citizens are working tirelessly to slow the abuse of opioids and reduce the impact that they have on our communities. In this season of Just Science, we’re sitting down with experts in the field to discuss topics like stigma, recovery, policy solutions, public safety systems, identifying drug trends, and much more. 

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

Illicit Substance Use Response

In episode eight, Just Science interviews DeMia Pressley from the DEA’s Diversion Control Division to discuss the importance of information sharing across law enforcement and public health agencies through forensic partnerships. 

The National Forensic Laboratory Information System, otherwise known as NFLIS, is a Drug Enforcement Administration program that collects results of forensic analyses and other related information from local, regional, and national entities. What sets NFLIS apart from other similar programs is that participation 100% voluntary. As such, DeMia Pressley and other members of NFLIS work hard to collect information and share what they have learned with the forensic community. Listen along as our guest discusses the purpose of the NFLIS program, the importance of partnerships within the forensic community, and how NFLIS data is used to inform drug policy and drug enforcement initiatives in this episode of Just Science.

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In episode nine, Just Science interviews Clarence Jordan, the Vice President of Wellness and Recovery at Beacon Health Options, to discuss stigma and its impact to programs designed to support those with substance use disorder and on individual level outcomes. 

There is no shortage of stigma surrounding the overdose crisis facing our nation. The proliferation of stigma and its impact are constant battles for practitioners and organizations dedicated to combating the problem. Clarence Jordan and the rest of his team at Beacon Health Options enhance their efforts to provide recovery-based principles and behavioral health services through education and community engagement. Listen along as our guest discusses peer support programs, stigma as a barrier to mental health treatment, and the role of education in the de-stigmatization of substance abuse disorder in this episode of Just Science.

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode ten, Just Science interviews Josh Yohannan, a forensic chemist and expert in emerging drug trends, about polysubstance use in the opioid overdose epidemic. 

Polysubstance use dramatically increases the potential for overdose or negative side effects of drug use. While there is no “one-size-fits-all" description of a person who uses drugs, there is one common thread linking them together: the danger they face when multiple substances are at play in their system.  

Josh Yohannan’s experience in expanding the use of forensic analysis in intelligence for law enforcement has helped communities better understand polysubstance use, ultimately making it easier to identify emerging drug threats during the opioid epidemic. Listen along as he discusses polysubstance abuse, the complexities of identifying new drug trends, and the value of quality and timely data in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In the first half of this two-part episode, Just Science sat down with Dr. Jon Zibbell, a Senior Public Health Analyst from RTI International, to discuss the waves of the opioid epidemic and their impact on communities.

The world of medical anthropology offers a very different perspective of the current rise in illicit substance abuse. While much of the research surrounding overdose and drug trends tends to be retrospective, anthropologists like Dr. Jon Zibbell are working on ways to predict trends instead of identifying them posthumously. Listen along as he discusses the waves of the opioid epidemic, the impact they have on communities, and how we can apply the data we’re gathering in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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Last week, Just Science sat down with Dr. Jon Zibbell, a Senior Public Health Analyst from RTI International, to discuss how stimulants are intersecting with the opioid epidemic and its impact on communities. Researchers and epidemiologists like Dr. Zibbell are working tirelessly to develop methods for predicting trends in opioid and illicit stimulant use. As drug overdose rates continue to rise, experts are looking for smarter, more efficient ways to predict, combat, and eventually overcome this disastrous public health crisis. 

This week, we continue the conversation with Dr. Zibbell as he discusses the American history of drug epidemics, what we can learn from past stimulant crises, and the importance of tailoring interventions in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode three, Just Science sat down with Amanda Mohr and Dr. Alex Krotulski from the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education to discuss the analytical and interpretative challenges associated with emerging drug threats. 

The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, otherwise known as the CFSRE, oversees a collaborative effort to better understand emerging drug threats. CFSRE researchers Amanda Mohr and Dr. Alex Krotulski are working on a project called NPS Discovery, a model for monitoring, responding, and forecasting emerging novel psychoactive substances. Listen along as our guests return to Just Science to discuss NPS Discovery, analytical challenges associated with novel psychoactive substances, and the value of community partnerships. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode four, Just Science sat down with Bonnie Dunn, Co-Director of the West Virginia Healthy Grandfamilies Project, to discuss a free initiative that provides information and resources to grandparents who are raising one or more of their grandchildren. 

Although they aren’t a regular topic in the conversation surrounding the opioid epidemic, children are a population that are often impacted by substance abuse. Incarcerated, addicted, or deceased parents can force children into foster care or alternative family structures. As a product of a grandparent-led household, Bonnie Dunn is keenly aware of the needs and value of these alternative family structures. Now, she serves as the Co-Director of the West Virginia Healthy Grandfamilies Project. Listen along as discusses the Healthy Grandfamilies Project, kinship care, and the need for similar programs in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode five, Just Science interviews Dr. Mallory O’Brien, Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, to discuss how partnerships can enhance Overdose Fatality Reviews. 

 The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is the only state-based reporting system that covers all types of violent deaths, including homicides and suicides. It pools more than 600 unique data elements from multiple sources into an anonymous, usable database. Dr. Mallory O’Brien used her experience with NVDRS to improve the overdose fatality review process. 

Listen along as she discusses leveraging partnerships to enhance overdose fatality reviews, their impact on communities with substance abuse problems, and the historical context that led to fatality reviews in this episode of Just Science.  

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode six, Just Science interviews Tim Black of the White Bird Clinic in Eugene, Oregon about the CAHOOTS program, a community-based public safety model that provides mental health first response for crises involving mental illness, homelessness, and substance use disorder.

In 1989, the White Bird Clinic in Eugene, Oregon launched the Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets program, otherwise known as the CAHOOTS program, providing 24/7 mobile crisis intervention services. Tim Black has been working with young people in crisis also experiencing homelessness long before joining CAHOOTS in 2010. Now, he continues to help build the CAHOOTS program in Oregon as well as across the United States as the Director of Consulting at the White Bird Clinic. Listen along as our guest discusses the CAHOOTS model, community based public safety, and alternative models for crisis response in this episode of Just Science.
 
This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode seven, Just Science interviews Dr. Alex Kral, an infectious disease epidemiologist at RTI International, about innovative policy solutions to improve outcomes for people with substance use disorder. 

Community-based research takes place within community settings and involves community members which allows a better understanding of the struggles that each specific population faces. Dr. Alex Kral' community-based research approaches help to inform drug policy and provides communities the ability to develop innovative strategies to improve outcomes for people who use drugs. Listen along as our guest discusses the historical context for drug policy, Measure 110 in Oregon, and the Arnold Ventures Project in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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Just Science is a podcast for justice professionals and anyone interested in learning more about forensic science, innovative technology, current research, and actionable strategies to improve the criminal justice system.  This podcast deals with a range of issues, including human trafficking, firearms, policing, leadership in the crime lab, new technologies, sexual assault response, and broader challenges for science and public security. We cover various types of topics across RTI's Justice Practice Area. 

Some seasons of Just Science were developed by RTI International's Justice Practice Area through various funding sources. Please visit the individual episode to learn more about its funding.