Dr. Yifrah Kaminer, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Pediatrics with the Alcohol Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, joins us to discuss substance use disorders (SUD) and suicidal ideation among our nation’s youth, a worsening crisis that has started to extend to middle schoolers. Among the topics we discuss are: 

It's a large and growing problem, with many facets and drivers - there's no one better equipped to explain and dissect it  than Dr. Kaminer, who brings over 35 years of research and clinical experience in the field focusing on this cohort.  

We had an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Tess Drazdowski, a research scientist with Lighthouse Institute, who joined us to discuss her innovative, important and inspiring work on substance use recovery for emerging adults (ages 18 to 26).  We talked about: 

Here's a representative portion of an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Tess Drazdowski, a research scientist with Lighthouse Institute, who joined us to discuss her innovative and important work on substance use recovery for emerging adults. She calls on an end to the stigma around substance use struggles and the outdated belief that it’s a moral problem requiring will power, tough lover or waiting for people to hit rock bottom.  She gives a shout out to the people “living their recovery out loud” and providing pathways that reduce stigma.  (The full interview will be out shortly and is largely about the efficacy of an incentives-based approach in increasing program utilization and adherence among emerging adults.) 

We're joined by Lora Passetti, Evidence-Based Practice Center Program Director at Chestnut Health Systems (CHS) where she trains and certifies clinicians across the country on several well-established, specialized behavioral treatment approaches for addressing substance use disorders among youth, young adults and adults. We discuss:  

Few are as passionate about their work as Lora is about hers - a fun, insightful conversation, check it out! 

We're joined by Barbara Estrada, Chestnut Health System’s Director, GAIN Coordinating Center and Software Development, to discuss: 

Coming in at a tidy, information-packed 41 minutes, it almost perfectly syncs up with Wish You Were Here - coincidence? Maybe. Check it out! 

Dr. Lisa Saldana is Associate Director, Senior Research Scientist, and Director for the Center for Implementation Science at the Lighthouse Institute. Lisa discusses her work as an implementation scientist (and what one does), provides a definitive description of social determinants of health (while crisply clarifying misconceptions surrounding it), the Just Care for Families continuum of care service model that she developed, the improvisational skills required to deliver these services “where people are,” and what she finds most rewarding about her work. 

We kick off our maiden Catalyst Podcast with Dr. Michael Dennis, the Director of Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute (LI) and a Senior Research Psychologist. To those in the field, Mike needs no introduction. We discuss:

A perfect person to begin what should be an endlessly fascinating series of conversations.  Please join us! 

The Catalyst is the place for conversations with research scientists, clinicians, thought leaders, business leaders, agency heads, and practitioners on real-world integrated health solutions and their impact on recovery, resilience and the realization of human/organizational potential.  The Catalyst is the voice of Lighthouse institute,  a division of Chestnut Health Systems™ whose mission is to improve the quality of health and human services through integrated health solutions, research, training, and consultation. 

Join us every week for another stimulating, thought provoking conversation with the leading voices in the field, sharing cutting edge research and lived experience, as we together shape the future of work.