In this season of Just Science, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) and the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) collaborate to provide highlights and experiences on evidence-based research and programs that address substance use and overdoses in the United States. Throughout the season, host and forensic scientist Dr. Lawrance Mullen speaks with grantees about a diverse range of state and local projects, which incorporate reentry services for those being released from prison, peer support, crisis response, and more. Episodes also discuss innovative research for drug monitoring programs through wastewater drug epidemiology, overdose data, and drug checking and related technology implementations. Listeners will hear about lessons learned, exciting successes, and advice for other agencies who want to implement similar programs.

Episode 1: Just Improving Forensic Toxicology Testing In DC

Original Release Date: June 21, 2024

In episode one of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Samantha Tolliver, Chief Toxicologist for the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, or DC OCME, to discuss how the agency uses its Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program, or COSSUP, funding to improve their drug testing and analysis processes.

For forensic toxicologists, it is important to be able to quickly and accurately identify which substances have contributed to an accidental overdose, so that they can monitor emerging drug trends in the area. The DC OCME’s COSSUP funding has allowed their office to use reference labs to reduce their casework and focus on adopting new methods for drug testing and analysis. Listen along as Dr. Tolliver discusses challenges faced by forensic toxicologist in keeping up with drug trends, the benefits of adopting technology such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, and how improving drug testing methods can contribute to broader community overdose prevention efforts.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep1/

Episode 2: Just Rapidly Identifying Drugs Involved In Suspected Overdoses

Original Release Date: June 28, 2024

In episode two of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Bill Barbour, Fatal Overdose Surveillance Program Manager at the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, to discuss his team’s methods for rapid toxicology results after a suspected overdose death.

For many medical examiner and coroner offices across the country, it can take several weeks to receive results for post-mortem toxicology reports, which leads to outdated drug trend data and an inability to efficiently address and prevent overdoses in the area. In response to this issue, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office in Washington applied for funding to implement the Fatal Overdose Surveillance Program, which takes a multi-pronged approach to quickly screen for drugs after a suspected overdose. Listen along as Bill discusses the goals of the Overdose Surveillance Program, the challenges of implementing drug screening technologies for rapid death certification, and how the King County office uses their findings to educate the community on emerging drug trends and prevention opportunities.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep2/

Episode 3: Just Wastewater Drug Surveillance In Kentucky

Original Release Date: July 5, 2024

In episode three of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Chris Delcher, Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science and Director of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the University of Kentucky, to discuss how his team tracks community drug use through wastewater analysis.

Much like analyzing a urine sample to determine what drugs an individual is using, analyzing wastewater from a community offers insight into drug trends across an entire region of people. The NIJ-funded weTEST program facilitates the collection and analysis of wastewater from rest areas and truck stops in Kentucky to track current drug trends in a timely manner. Listen along as Dr. Delcher discusses his inspiration for using wastewater to monitor drug use, the sometimes-messy process of collecting wastewater samples, and how scientists approach ethical considerations that come with collecting data from wastewater systems.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep3/

Episode 4: Just Increasing Access To Drug-Checking Services

Original Release Date: July 12, 2024

In episode four of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta, Pharmacoepidemiologist and Senior Scientist in the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center, and Erin Tracy, Research Chemist in the UNC injury Prevention Research Center, to discuss their unique approach to providing drug-checking services on a broad scale.

To address and prevent overdose deaths, it is crucial that local public health and harm reduction groups can check what substances are being used in a community, so that they can make informed decisions about local services, policy, and education. The UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab has made these important drug checking services more widely accessible by developing mail-in drug checking kits, which allow organizations to collect their own samples to submit for lab analysis and provide anonymized results back. Listen along as Dr. Dasgupta and Erin discuss types of drug checking technology, navigating the legal and logistical challenges of mailing street drug samples, and the positive impact of their drug checking program.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep4/

Episode 5: Just Navigating Reentry Using Peer Support

Original Release Date: July 19, 2024 In episode five of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Nicole Swiderski, New Jersey Path to Recovery Grant Manager, and Jass Pelland, New Jersey Path to Recovery Program Manager, to discuss how the New Jersey State Parole Board’s 2021 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program award is supporting peer recovery and other services that help individuals with a substance use disorder navigate reentering the community after release from prison.

Those who are reentering the community after being released from prison can face a myriad of challenges, including navigating community supervision requirements, finding housing and treatment services, and facing an increased risk of drug overdose. In response to these challenges, the New Jersey State Parole Board has created the Path to Recovery Program, where peer health navigators partner with parole officers to help guide participants through the difficult reentry process. Listen along as Dr. Swiderski and Jass discuss why they decided to implement a peer-led initiative in the state of New Jersey, what barriers they faced when planning and implementing the program, and how Path to Recovery has made a positive impact both in the lives of individuals and for their state a whole.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep5/

Episode 6: Just Outreach Teams For Substance Use In Rural Nevada

Original Release Date: July 26, 2024

In episode six of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Terry Kerns, Substance Abuse Law Enforcement Coordinator of the Nevada Office of the Attorney General, Dr. Katie Snider, owner of Justice Research LLC, and DJ Mills, Director of Mental Health and Deflection Programs at the Nye Communities Coalition, to discuss their COSSUP-funded Mobile Outreach Safety Teams (MOST) and Forensic Assessment Service Triage Teams (FASTT) programs, which help bridge the gaps between law enforcement and social services in rural Nevada.

To address the needs of justice-involved individuals with a substance use disorder, there are several opportunities for intervention, including pre-arrest, at the time of a behavioral health crisis; and post-arrest, once an individual has already been incarcerated. In rural Nevada, the Office of the Attorney General has pioneered two types of outreach teams, which help support individuals at both points in their involvement with the criminal justice system. Listen along as Dr. Kerns, Dr. Snider, and DJ discuss how MOST and  FASTT operate, the state and local impact of these programs, and how grantees have overcome implementation barriers.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep6/

Episode 7: Just All Hands On Deck For Drug Endangered Youth

Original Release Date: August 2, 2024

In episode seven of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Cristi Cain, Local Public Health Section Director at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Sally Wright, the All Hands on DECK, or Drug Endangered Children Kansas, Program Manager for the Kansas Department of Health & Environment, to discuss their COSSUP-funded All Hands on DECK Program, which helps support drug endangered youth and families across the state of Kansas.

In Kansas and across the country, many children and infants are living in an environment where a caretaker uses substances or where they are born exposed to substances. In response, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment supports eighteen local jurisdictions who are implementing a range of activities to support drug endangered youth, including providing family care bags, administering community and school-based drug awareness trainings, distributing naloxone, and more. Listen along as Sally and Cristi discuss some of the catalysts for creating a youth-focused program in their state, how each local site is identifying and addressing unique needs within their community, and some of the challenges and successes the DECK program has experienced so far.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep7/

Episode 8: Just Public Health And Safety Data Sharing In Georgia

Original Release Date: August 9, 2024

In the final episode of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Kristen Lee, Substance Use Program Coordinator at the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Lizann Roberts, Executive Director of the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition, and Tara Jennings, Strategic Planning Administrator for Chatham County Government, to discuss their COSSUP-funded Community Data Platform, which helps connect health and justice data for an individual, so that first responders can best meet their needs.

For individuals who frequently cycle through jails, homeless shelters, and emergency departments, there is a need to increase access to community resources to break the cycle of justice involvement and reduce the burden on first responders. In Chatham County, Georgia, the Community Data Sharing Program provides real-time data across public health and safety services, helping first responders gain a holistic view of an individual’s justice involvement and refer clients to the appropriate community resources. Listen along as Kristen, Lizann, and Tara discuss why they decided to use data sharing as a tool to better serve clients with a substance use disorder, how they addressed barriers such as data sharing and privacy concerns, and how the program has not only impacted participating clients, but also local first responders and policy makers.

Link: https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2024-cossup-ep8/