Prevention Intervention

Dr. Wendy Stephan, Health Education Coordinator at the Florida Poison Information Center, joins Lisa Keeler and Jan Thoman for another episode of Florida Blue’s Prevention Intervention podcast!

In this episode, we feature William Atkinson, Executive Director of the Recovery Epicenter Foundation.

As the leader of a recovery community organization, Will has spearheaded narcan distribution efforts, peer support training, the creation of peer respite centers, and connecting peer support services to the overall continuum of care in the Tampa Bay region and Florida. He also sits on the Florida Association of Recovery Residences, Floridians for Recovery, Fellowship RCO, and SPC Human Services board of Directors.

Listen to Lisa Keeler, Regional Director, and Jan Thoman, Tri-County Manager, as they speak on the evolution of the South Florida Opioid Alliance and the incredible outreach their organization does!

In this episode, we feature Dr. Michael Parker, a pharmacologist and our education lead on our FL Blue Opioid Grant.

Jennifer Wills is the Network Partnership and Expansion Lead for Care Connect. She started as a Social Service Worker in 2008 and have since been working closely with young people and families within the community in various roles. In this episode, part two of her conversation with us, we talk about the BRAVE Summit, an event aimed at addressing stigma surrounding mental health among youth.

Jennifer Wills is the Network Partnership and Expansion Lead for Care Connect. She started as a Social Service Worker in 2008 and have since been working closely with young people and families within the community in various roles. This episode, part one of her two-part episode with us, she talks about her own lived experience.

Listen to Rohith Ganjam, an undergraduate student in NSU's 8 year DO program, as he advocates heavily for a more "empathetic" style of care for people struggling with substance abuse. Mr. Ganjam continues his work in substance abuse at NSU as a part of the NSU MD Youth Opioid Initiative, as well as starting his own club "ICANNARCAN" at NSU undergrad.

She holds an Msc. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a Bsc. in Social Work and over 20 years of experience working with children, youths and their families. Listen as Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Marlo Bloomfield, shares her perspective concerning youths, addiction and substance abuse.

In this episode, we are joined by Misty Eyez Alicea, the Director of Transgender Services, Women’s Healthy Living & LGBTQ+ Training/Education at SunServe in South Florida. Listen in as she speaks on the impact of substance abuse on the LGBTQ+ community, and shares insight on exercising sensitivity when engaging with marginalized populations.

Dr. Arkene Levy, the principal investigator (PI) for the Florida Blue NSU MD Youth Opioid Initiative, joined us to speak on the issue of substance abuse and the timeliness of the work being done in the project. She highlighted the importance of community engagement and collaboration and discussed plans for sustaining the work beyond the life of the grant.