Addiction & Overdose
Program Overview
The opioid crisis is responsible for the first three-year decline in national life expectancy in a century. The rising number of overdoses involving opioids and other substances demands a comprehensive response. This response should include policy based in evidence and public health strategies that prevent addiction, address structural factors that contribute to misuse, improve the safety and health of people who use drugs through harm reduction strategies, and boost access to effective treatments such as medications for opioid use disorder.
Meet Our Experts
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Susan G. Sherman, PhD
Bloomberg Professor of American Health in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society
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Brendan Saloner, PhD
Brendan Saloner, PhD, is a Bloomberg Associate Professor of American Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management, with a joint appointment in Mental Health.
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Sean T. Allen, DrPH
Sean T. Allen, DrPH, is an Assistant Scientist in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society.
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Supporting Research and Projects with Impact
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Emergency Departments Can’t Ignore Addiction
In a new legal analysis, the Legal Action Center found that hospital emergency departments are legally responsible for providing effective care to people with substance use disorder.
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Detecting Fentanyl. Saving Lives.
Fentanyl is a lethally potent drug that is driving the rapid rise in overdose deaths. Researchers at Johns Hopkins investigated three available technologies to provide people who use drugs with information that could save their lives.
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Rural Communities in Crisis
In Cabell County, West Virginia, researchers set out to help health officials determine the level of resources, services, and treatment they need to provide in order to save lives during the opioid epidemic.
Learn MoreAddiction & Overdose is Intertwined with Violence in America.
Learn moreSupporting a New Generation of Public Health Leaders
The Bloomberg Fellows Program provides world-class public health training for individuals engaged with organizations tackling critical challenges facing the United States.
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