Obscure Treatment Could be The Final Fix for Addiction For the last few months, I’ve been covering COVID-19’s impact on the opioid crisis. With overdoses up 42% in May alone, it’s projected 75,000 additional lives will be lost to alcohol and drug overdose because of the pandemic. One resource [...]
A Safer Supply Saves Lives Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is considered the gold standard for treating opioid use disorder. But it doesn’t work for everyone, and for those unresponsive to MAT, the next use of illicit street drugs could be their last. This month, Staff Sergeant Conor King introduced us to SaferSupply, [...]
Adapting Peer Recovery for a Pandemic Three years ago, we profiled AnchorEd, an innovative initiative, developed in Rhode Island. This program enables peer recovery coaches to meet with overdose victims before their release from the hospital. In March, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sent everyone into lockdown. To continue helping people with [...]
Treatment Breakthrough: The ER Addiction Stabilization Unit In June 2017, Dr. Belma Andric, Chief Medical Officer of the Health District of Palm Beach County, Florida, joined Greg on the Cover2 podcast. She shared a unique pilot program that started Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for overdose victims right in the emergency room [...]
In Pain – When No One Knows How to Taper Pain Pills In 1996, pain became the 5th vital sign in medicine, prompting doctors to rely on opioids for pain treatment. As a result, opioid prescriptions spiked over the next 15 years, causing hundreds of thousands of opioid addictions. While many [...]
It’s difficult for a non-addicted person to rationalize the addicted mind, and the societal stigmatism around addiction doesn’t make that any easier. How can they keep making these decisions if they know they’re wrong, and why won’t they make choices that lead to recovery? The truth is, an addict isn’t in complete [...]
Greg interviews Tim Elliott, the Executive Director of Re-Entry & Addiction Recovery at The Dalton Foundation, which has worked to provide assistance to organizations meeting the medical needs of the less fortunate since 2001. Though he first began his career in cars, Tim has spent the past thirty years as an advocate [...]
Greg interviews Pastor Greg Delaney, the faith collaborator for Attorney General Mike DeWine’s Heroin/Outreach Unit. As the faith collaborator, Pastor Delaney travels with Attorney General DeWine and speaks to church communities and other faith leaders on how they can better address the heroin epidemic. Greg asks Pastor Delaney about recovery churches, their set [...]
Greg interviews Wendy Komac, the CEO and Founding Partner of Luna Living, and Justin, who is currently a patient in recovery. Luna Living is an accredited partial hospitalization and outpatient facility for substance abuse disorders and outpatient mental health care. They aim to treat substance abuse disorders by addressing chronic brain diseases in [...]
Greg interviews Andrew Joseph, a journalist at The Boston Globe affiliated STAT. STAT focuses on finding and telling compelling stories about health, medicine, and scientific discovery. As a general assignment reporter, Andrew has covered a multitude of topics ranging from crime to health policy – including the recent repeal of the ACA and [...]
Greg interviews John Tharp, a sheriff in Lucas County, Ohio, responsible for launching the Drug Abuse Response Team (D.A.R.T.). Founded in 2014, the D.A.R.T. program aims to make a difference in the opioid epidemic in Western Ohio by aiding in the treatment, education, and support of those suffering from substance abuse, as well [...]
Greg interviews John Wetzel, Secretary of Corrections at the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Secretary Wetzel helped found a pilot program that combats substance abuse among inmates through the administration of Vivitrol – a medication that reduces drug cravings and blocks the “high” many users feel while under the influence. Initially implemented at SCI [...]
Greg interviews Megan Peterson, the Executive Director of 2nd Chance Counseling Service. With over 15 years of counseling experience, Megan overseas telemedicine treatment for those suffering with substance abuse at 2nd Chance. In the podcast, Megan and Greg discuss telemedicine and how it could solve the overwhelming demand for treatment within the opioid [...]
Greg is joined by Jessica Nickel, the CEO and founder of the Addiction Policy Forum. Together, they interview Scott Strode, the CEO and founder of Phoenix Multisport—a unique recovery community teaching those struggling with substance abuse the skills and disciplines to stay sober via athletic training. Greg asks Scott about how Phoenix Multisport [...]
Greg interviews Dr. George Elder, the Vice President of Schools and Colleges for Psychemedics Corporation--the world leader in drug testing using hair follicles. After utilizing Psychemedics’ drug testing services as a school Headmaster back in 2005, Dr. Elder became a leader in the advocacy of school drug testing. Greg asks Dr. Elder why, [...]
Greg interviews Michelle Harter, the Associate Director of Anchor Recovery Community Centers—a recovery support group, engaged in the building and development of recovery culture in Rhode Island. Michelle was also the primary architect of AnchorED, a special program connecting people admitted to emergency rooms, for opioid related reasons, with trained recovery coaches. Michelle [...]
Greg is joined by Jessica Nickel, the CEO and founder of the Addiction Policy Forum. Together, they interview Chris Hickey, an EMS Officer from the Manchester Fire Department in New Hampshire. Chris is the creator of the Safe Stations program, a service that’s transforming New Hampshire fire stations into non-judgmental locations where people [...]
Greg interviews Joel Mowrey, the Executive Director of The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County. Kelly Hart, a recovering addict, also joins the duo. Located in Portage County, Ohio, The Mental Health and Recovery Board is primarily a funding, monitoring and planning agency. By contracting with outside agencies, the board provides [...]
Greg interviews Nick Bianco, the champion of Wadsworth Recovery Connection (WRC) in the City of Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio. As a recovering addict, Nick is deeply committed to helping others suffering from substance abuse regain their lives. He is responsible for bringing WRC to Summit County. WRC is a phone-based service within the [...]
Greg interviews Ken Hawkins, the Founder of Really Recovered and a recovering alcoholic and addict. Really Recovered is a recovery church rooted in Christian faith and the firm belief that total transformation is gained through a relationship with Christ. Ken himself has struggled with substance abuse since the age of 11. He shares [...]
