Cover 2 Resources

Mercy Health serves communities in Ohio and Kentucky, two of the top five states for overdose rates in the nation. And last year was the worst on record for opioid overdose deaths in Hamilton County, where Mercy Health is headquartered. But the tide may be turning.

When it became clear that treating, stabilizing and releasing overdose victims who came to their ED wasn’t working, Mercy Health decided to make some wholesale changes to their approach to addressing addiction as a healthcare provider and they’re beginning to see the payoff. In this podcast, Greg talks with leaders from Mercy Health to learn about their new approach to helping those struggling with substance use disorder through a program they rolled out system-wide by the name of the Mercy Health Addiction Treatment Collaborative.

Joining Greg on this podcast are Dr. Navdeep Kang, Mercy Health Director of Operations for Behavioral Health Services in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Larry Graham, President of Behavioral Health at Mercy Health and the co-founder and CEO of Cincinnati-based FindLocalTreatment.com, Raj Gupta. Tune in to learn how the Mercy Health Addiction Treatment Collaborative program provides treatment-on-demand through a coordinated network of providers.

It is estimated that there are currently between 35,000-50,000 active online drug sellers today. Many of these companies are even selling medication without requiring an evaluation from a physician. The World Health Organization has cited that 50% of all online prescription medication is actually counterfeit and is even sold by websites that hide their physical address. Counterfeiting pharmaceutical drugs is a public safety threat that affects us on a global scale and is estimated to be worth roughly $75 billion. Patients that have purchased unsafe medicine from any of these illegitimate sources have been harmed, and in some cases killed.

For this week’s podcast, Greg spoke with Marjorie Clifton, Executive Director of the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies. Founded in 2011, this diverse group of internet service providers and technology companies have taken on the global fight against selling illegitimate medication over the internet. Hear how this crisis has even spread to the “dark web” and is threatening the safety of online pharmaceutical sales.

Previously on the Cover2 Podcast, we discussed the article “Meet the ‘Kratom Warriors’ Who Say This Plant Will End the Opioid Epidemic” written by Azeen Ghorayshi. She discusses Kratom and the way that former users have turned to it to help curb withdrawal symptoms and stay clean on the journey to sobriety. Outlined in the article is Courtney True, a user of over 27 years, who turned to Kratom in an effort to battle her addiction to opioids. True credits her recovery, and her family’s recovery to using this plant.

Join Greg and Courtney as they discuss the benefits of using Kratom on the steps to recovery and find out how many have turned to this herb in an attempt to fight addiction. Hear how many, including Courtney and her loved ones, have turned their lives around by incorporating Kratom into their everyday lives.

An article surfaced on Buzzfeed News last month on Kratom, a substance that former drug users have adopted in order to curb cravings and get off opioids. It has been trending in the news and developed a following online. Some claim it is a safer alternative to opioids and that it is a “natural herb.” Unfortunately, there are still many unknowns about this substance. Long-term effects are still unclear and the possibility of it being banned by the FDA have come up in the discussion.

Greg was joined by Azeen Ghorayshi, BuzzFeed News Reporter. Ghorayshi authored the article “Meet the ‘Kratom Warriors’ Who Say This Plant Will End the Opioid Epidemic.” The two discuss the history of Kratom, its components and the ongoing debate of if it can be used as a safer alternative.

We’ve all heard the statistics that 64,000 people lost their lives to drug addiction in 2016. It is extremely startling considering that this is more than guns, HIV infection and automobile accidents. These same statistics have been used to shape a narrative in America that over prescribing opioids is the primary cause of the opioid epidemic. But what if these statistics are wrong and the laws restricting opioid prescribing practices are making matters worse rather than helping to solve the problem.

Greg’s guest today is a scientist who picks data apart that concluded the evidence does not support the conclusions and policies driven to address the opioid epidemic. Dr. Josh Bloom joins him to discuss the concerns of the data being skewed. Dr. Bloom is the Director of Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences at the American Council on Science & Health. Bloom believes the 64,000 statistic is flawed and there are other factors at play in the opioid crisis.

Addiction can happen to anyone regardless of class, upbringing and environment. It is a battle that can ravage communities, as well as families. Last November, an article written by Retired Admiral James Winnefeld spoke on the effects of the opioid epidemic and how it has personally impacted his life. His article entitled “No Family Is Safe from This Epidemic” tells the story of Admiral Winnefeld’s son Jonathon and his battle with opioid abuse. This week Greg sat down with The Admiral to discuss the article and also, Jonathon’s story. He states that “As an admiral I helped run the most powerful military on Earth, but I couldn’t save my son from the scourge of opioid addiction.”

After the loss of Jonathon, The Winnefeld Family founded S.A.F.E. (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic) to not only honor his memory but to be a support system for families that have loved ones struggling with this disease. Listen to hear the Winnefeld’s story and also how S.A.F.E. is reaching out to communities to make a difference and help fight this crisis that our nation has been fighting for so long.

In today’s podcast we look at another innovative program featured in the CityLab article, “The Race to Learn What’s Really Happening in the Opioid Crisis,” an app known as the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program. Also known as ODMAP, this app gives first responders the ability to document overdose-related data in real time. Greg talks with Linda Poon about this tool and how it allows city officials and law enforcement to have nearly real-time access to overdose data enabling them to pinpoint where people are overdosing so that cities can target their interventions better.

Greg also talks with Tom Carr, Executive Director of High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), who led development of the ODMAP program. Tom shares his insight into how this innovative program was developed and the role it now plays in preventing overdoses. Today there are over 1,300 users of ODMAP in 37 states and 34,000 documented overdoses. ODMAP is available free of charge to help communities fight the opioid epidemic and prevent it from spreading further.

The opioid crisis has been devastating the United States for over twenty years now. Unfortunately, one of the reasons the crisis has been so severe is because the data has been significantly flawed. Greg joins Linda Poon, Assistant Editor at City Lab, to discuss her article “The Race to Learn What’s Really Happening in the Opioid Crisis.” Poon speaks to the city of Cary, NC and how it is using an experimental robot called the Biobot to mine data. One of the ways Cary is tracking and gathering data is by placing the Biobot in manholes around the city to collect samples of wastewater. These sewage samples are being tested for the concentration of opioid metabolites, which is what gets flushed out of the system after the person consumes opioids.

Also commenting on the podcast is Mike Bajorek, the Deputy Town Manager for Cary, NC. Bajorek commented on the fact that Biobot is able to deliver data in real time and also pinpoint the demographics from the locations the samples are coming from to build a new set of data. This gives city officials the ability to pinpoint regions within Cary to see what opioids are being used, where they are being used and how much people are using. With this unique dataset, cities can target how and where to delegate resources that will help fight the epidemic.

Opioid prescribing report cards for physicians and requirements for insurance providers to cover alternatives to opioids for pain management including acupuncture and chiropractor visits are a couple of the innovations in new state laws passed to fight the opioid epidemic. Policymakers throughout the country have begun confronting the opioid crisis through new creative legislation.

Recently Greg met with Brian Allen, a policy expert and VP of Government affairs for Mitchell International. Allen advises lawmakers within the pharmaceutical industry, insurance issues and also those that deal with worker’s compensation. He provides insight into new regulations and legislation, publishes industry materials and also speaks at various conferences across the nation. In this podcast, Allen addresses some of the laws that various states have passed and innovative guidelines that have helped confront the opioid epidemic in America in hopes to bring about change.

This week’s podcast features Brandon Chrostowski, founder of Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute. Edwins is an organization that exists to provide skilled training and a number of resources to ex-offenders. 6 million people in the US are imprisoned or under community control and face dozens of obstacles after their release. Employment is one of the largest obstacles they face when attempting to re enter society. It is a vital aspect of their journey because it can help ensure that these offenders don’t become repeat offenders upon their release. Unfortunately, about 60% of ex-offenders are still unemployed up to a year after imprisonment.

Edwins seeks to give these people a second chance. Their belief is that every human being deserves a fair and equal future, regardless of their past. Hear how this foundation is equipping individuals with skills and resources that will open up countless opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them.