Empathy Affect
On Empathy Affect, we explore the human side of government. We get to know the real people in government who serve us. We learn about their missions, the people they serve, and the true impact of their work. In each episode, we'll speak with real people about how they weave empathy into the policies and programs of government.
Empathy Affect
S1E8, Pt. 1: How the HEALing Communities Study Aims to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths
In 2018, the National Institutes of Health launched the HEALing Communities Study, a research endeavor to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths across highly impacted communities by 40% over three years. The study bridges science-driven interventions with community collaboration. In the first part of this special two-part episode, we chat with leadership behind the HEALing Communities Study about the evolution of the opioid crisis to date and how they're bridging compassion, research, and change to help communities hard-hit by opioid misuse and overdoses.
Dr. Redonna Chandler is the HEALing Community Study Director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She has been at NIDA since 2002, serving in positions of increasing responsibility and leadership across the institute.
Dr. Yngvild Olsen is Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). She has previously worked in substance use treatment with Baltimore City and served as Deputy Health Officer for Maryland's Harford City Health Department.