Podcasts

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is partnering with states, local jurisdictions, and tribal communities by funding the development and implementation of holistic, innovative programs that incorporate comprehensive and data-driven strategies for addressing the needs of youth and families impacted by the opioid epidemic and other substance misuse.

In this episode, “An OJJDP Perspective: Enhancing Mitigation and Support,” Deputy Administrator Chryl Jones will address OJJDP’s commitment to creating equitable juvenile justice systems that result in safer communities and enable youth to identify positive pathways to success, fostering stronger families and healthier communities.

In this episode, Rosezetta Bobo and Dale Landry, will discuss how justice systems can better support youth who present with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.  This segment will focus on restorative strategies for creating and enhancing juvenile justice programs that address substance use challenges, specifically related to opioid use, and highlight best practices that not only reduce substance use and recidivism but also align with positive outcomes for impacted youth and their families.

In this episode, Jesse Fairchild, LCPC, weighs in on the opioid crisis and its impact on youth and families across the country.  As a mental health professional and first responder, Ms. Fairchild is adamant about shifting from a culture of shaming to a culture of supporting.  In this segment, she focuses on the impact of trauma and the importance of taking a holistic approach to promoting healing and reducing stigma by integrating strategies that strengthen families and offer support to avoid dismantling the family unit.

In this episode, Sergeant Lex Jorge highlights the perspective of law enforcement officers and details the emotional and physical impacts of trying to save people struggling with addiction day in and day out. Because law enforcement officers are uniquely positioned to encounter individuals within the community who use drugs, they serve as important conduits through which appropriate interventions can reach those individuals.  Mr. Jorge focuses on how police balance their various roles in their efforts to combat the opioid crisis and discusses the importance of customizing responses to communities impacted by opioid and other substance use disorders while recognizing the special needs of vulnerable communities. 

In this episode, Christopher Menapace will spotlight the critical role of emergency medical services (EMS) in addressing the opioid crisis and share his unique perspective on how the opioid epidemic has presented significant challenges to communities across the country. Mr. Menapace is an assistant fire chief in Mount Vernon, Ohio, responsible for overseeing EMS, fire operations, and the Prevention Bureau, as well as improving the delivery of services to the community. He also implemented the Whitehall’s Help for Overdose (WHO) program to help reduce opioid misuse, addiction, and fatalities by assisting with treatment, recovery, and prevention of opioid usage.

In this episode, Brooke Byrd and Kelly Tanner, will address the intersection of substance use and human trafficking and share their personal perspectives on strategies for increasing the trauma competency of those in positions to support and connect with potential victims of human trafficking. Mrs. Byrd and Mrs. Kelly discuss the associated risks of opioid and substance use, identify ways to improve protective factors for children and families, and speak to the disconnect between the subtlety and cruelty of trafficking.