Podcasts about homeless program

Organizers with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program say providing a safe and fun space makes it more likely women will access care and open up about things for which they might not otherwise seek help.

“As I was getting to know people, I started to write down their stories. I realized what courageous lives they were living -- despite these awful odds,” says Dr. Jim O'Connell, the president of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. "They were stories that would inspire all of us, and I wanted to be able to tell them better.”

Health Affairs' Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Michael Mayer of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program on his recent paper that explores the impacts of encampment clearings on the homeless population in Boston and how transitional harm reduction housing provided a unique opportunity for former encampment residents.Order the "Housing and Health" issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

Pooja Bhalla is the CEO of Illumination Foundation - disrupting the vicious cycle of homelessness in Southern California. She serves on the board of National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC). Pooja was the COO of Boston Health Care for Homeless Program. She also is the alum of Northeastern University, and UCLA. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theindustryshow/support

An annual report reveals that King County's program to house people through 15 sites used more than $70 million to house 803 people due to incomplete construction and other issues. The Health Through Housing initiative's primary goal is to open 1,600 units of affordable housing for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming unhoused in King County. The county previously anticipated it would meet the 1,600 unit goal by the end of 2022, but fell short with 1,366 units of housing being ready to use, or under construction at the end of the year. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/washington-in-focus/support

Hometown Radio 09/15/23 4p: Another SLO neighborhood objects to the city's homeless program

Never forget: do you trust government has told us the truth about 9/11? Will it happen again with the open borders? 42,000 Islamist terrorist attacks since 9/11. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/09/never-forget-22-years-ago-today-9-11/ Is this real video of missile hitting Pentagon? https://twitter.com/awakenedoutlaw/status/1701125243115536449?s=52&t=b_uI7WrPyZ4CWzafUCwFPw Will OR Gov Tina follow NM Gov gun grab? https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/09/do-not-comply-visibly-armed-gun-owners-defy/ MC homeless program fail: https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2023/09/opinion-i-chair-the-advisory-committee-for-multnomah-countys-homeless-services-office-i-cant-vouch-for-its-effectiveness.html Sen Boquist newsletter:  balloons over Oregon? https://oregoncatalyst.com/71399-sen-boquist-sciballoon-oregon-abortion-lawsuit.html 88 yr old Secret Service agent blows up Magic Bullet theory of JFK assassination: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/09/jfk-assassination-witness-breaks-60-year-silence-blows/  

This episode features Barry Bock, Special Liaison to the CEO at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP). Here, he discusses his 22 years at BHCHP, the program's focus on the opioid crisis & homeless encampments, different ways they had to pivot their focus during the pandemic, and more.

Dr. Jim O'Connell, founder of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and author of the book “Rough Sleepers,” joined us again on NightSide to update us on where we're at with combating homelessness in the city of Boston. We also heard about BHCP's involvement with the ongoing cleanup at Boston's Mass & Cass.

For the past five months, a San Francisco pilot initiative has been swarming the Castro's most needy unhoused residents with services, support and “street magic.” Reporter Kevin Fagan joins Fifth & Mission host Cecilia Lei to share the program's astonishing success — and why it will be so hard to expand it across the city. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Got a tip, comment, question? Email us: fifth@sfchronicle.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder, author of "Rough Sleepers," talks about Harvard educated doctor Jim O'Connell and his work with the homeless population of Boston over the past 40 years. Tracy Kidder followed Dr. O'Connell and his colleagues from the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program for five years to get an understanding of their work and an insight into the homelessness crisis in America.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Later this week, the temperature in Boston is supposed to drop to sub-zero temperatures. It could dip as low as 40 degrees below zero in what forecasters say could be the coldest air in Boston in years. How is the city preparing to help the homeless avoid the bitter cold? Dr. Jim O'Connell, founder of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program joined Dan to discuss the critical care being offered for Boston's most endangered citizens.

The Top Local Stories Of The Day 

A collision of drug criminalization, inadequate and discriminatory housing policies, and insufficient mental health and substance use care services has fostered open drug scene encampments in communities around the world. Open drug scene encampments concentrate social, medical, and public health challenges that include HIV transmission and opioid overdose. This month, the Boston Medical Center team talked with Dr. Jessie Gaeta, a national expert who has been a primary care and addiction medicine physician at the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program since 2002. Their conversation touches on some of the factors that contribute to the establishment and growth of encampments; how best to talk and ask about housing status; and helpful and harmful approaches to open drug scene encampments and the people who live there. 

Our Poetry Month series returns! Every Tuesday in April we invite a Lesley poet to share a poem and speak briefly about their work. This year, we're starting with Robbie Gamble '17, who reads and discusses "Memo to the Border Patrol Agent Who Poured Out the Water We Left in the Desert."Find the transcript on the episode page.About our guestRobbie Gamble '17 holds an MFA in Poetry from Lesley. He is the author of A Can of Pinto Beans, from Lily Poetry Review Press (2022). His poems and essays have appeared in the Atlanta Review, Pangyrus, Poet Lore, RHINO, Rust + Moth, Spillway, Tahoma Literary Review, and The Sun, among other journals. Recipient of the Carve Poetry prize, and a Peter Taylor Fellowship at the Kenyon Summer Writers Workshop, he serves as poetry editor for Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices. Robbie worked for 20 years as a nurse practitioner with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and he now divides his time between Boston and Vermont.Check out last year's poems:"The Translator" by Kevin Prufer"As for the Heart" by Erin Belieu"We Be Womxn" by U-Meleni Mhlaba-AdeboCowboys and "The Dread" by Lydia Leclerc

The U.S. housing crisis and health care are inextricably linked. Compared to the general population, people experiencing homelessness have higher rates of illness and mortality. These struggles are even more acute for transgender people, who often face discrimination when they seek both housing and health care. On the latest episode of The Dose, Pam Klein, Manager of Transgender Services at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, talks about how to provide health care to transgender people who lack housing. As public acceptance of transgender people grows, and more and more people who openly identify as trans enter the field of health care, there is hope for the future, she says.  Sign up here to get new episodes of The Dose in your inbox.

Krowinski and Balint enter homelessness debate; St. Johnsbury prison in lockdown after nine Covid cases; Beth Robinson confirmed to federal appellate court; Principals' association reverses media ban at soccer game.

This month's Connecting Care episode is the second in a two-part series about treatment for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) among people with opioid use disorder. In this second podcast, the Boston Medical Team takes a closer look at some of the challenges and opportunities related to treating HCV among people who inject drugs, and learn from Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, which has successfully delivered HCV treatment to patients experiencing homelessness.

WARNING: This podcast references multiple forms of trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), self-harming behavior, and mental health. Heidi Lee recently chose to speak publicly about her mental health journey as a daily survivor of bipolar disorder & complex PTSD. In this episode, she shares her lived experience with mental health challenges and the learning and passions that transpired along her healing journey. Today, she works as a certified peer specialist for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (https://www.bhchp.org). She is also a part-time teacher, a gifted artist, mental health advocate, and mother to a beautiful, neurodivergent six year old. You will be moved by her stories of struggle and hope, encouraged by her resilience, and inspired by her resolve to address mental health and racial equity through advocacy in action. Heidi's Resource Picks: Note: Even while the prevalence of mental health issues continues to rise in our communities, AAPI adults are the racial group least likely to seek mental health services in the U.S. (Mental Health America). - National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - https://www.nami.org/Home - NAMI's Peer-to-Peer course - https://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Mental-Health-Education/NAMI-Peer-to-Peer - NAMI's Family-to-Family course - https://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Mental-Health-Education/NAMI-Family-to-Family - Kiva Centers (formerly Transformation Center) - https://kivacenters.org - Kiva Centers' Certified Peer Training - https://kivacenters.org/trainings/certified-peer-specialist - Recommended Ted Talk: The Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise by Wendy Suzuki https://youtu.be/BHY0FxzoKZE MORE About Heidi Lee As a housing navigator for Boston's homeless, Heidi's goal is to bring dignity back to those who have had it taken away from them, which in this season means finding subsidized homes for those who are living on the streets or in shelters. Heidi received a master's degree in education (M.Ed), which suited her well during her 12-year stint as a classroom teacher. Heidi recently became a grad student again at Northeastern University working towards the Masters in Public Administration program (specializing in healthcare management) so that she can do her part to be a voice for the voiceless. She has since discovered her passion in working as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS). Heidi is also studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Karate and truly enjoys her daily HIIT (high intensity interval training) exercises because they serve as a natural antidepressant. She also paints portraits for friends who are grieving the loss of someone they love and is striving to be a yelp foodie one day. * For More Podcast Episodes, visit Asian Women For Health: https://www.asianwomenforhealth.org/current-podcasts.html DISCLAIMER: The information on this page is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content in this podcast is for general information purposes only.

Elyse Park, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Health Promotion and Resiliency Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Associate Director of Survivorship Research, and Psychosocial Services for the MGH Cancer Center Survivorship Program. Her most recent American Cancer Society grant focuses on developing a health insurance navigation program for childhood survivors. Travis Baggett, MD, MPH, is Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Director of research at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and an MGH research scholar. His ACS grant supports research into lung cancer screening navigation for homeless people. Sanja Percac-Lima, MD, is Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a primary care physician at the MGH Chelsea Community Health Care Center, and physician leader for cancer outreach at MGH Cancer Center. A former ACS grantee, her research focuses on cancer prevention in ethnic and racial minorities. 5:42 – Dr. Park on her research into lung cancer screening, helping smokers quit, and helping survivors cope with stress and enhance their resiliency 8:46 – Dr. Percac-Lima on her research into alleviating disparities in cancer care and screening in vulnerable populations 11:39 – Dr. Baggett on a patient navigation program to help current and former homeless individuals to quit smoking and get lung cancer screening 14:32 –Taking behavioral interventions to the next level 17:14 –Reducing colorectal cancer screening disparities through patient navigation 22:09 –The encouraging progress there has been in the recognition of health equity issues 29:05 – Dr. Park on helping cancer survivors to improve their access and use of health insurance 33:38 – On the benefits of patient navigation during the COVID-19 pandemic 38:09 – On social justice and the work of the homelessness housing and health lab 41:41 – Why Massachusetts General Hospital is such a wonderful research environment 48:32 – The impact of ACS funding on their research 53:05 – A message for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers

For Boston Health Care for the Homeless nurse Megan Sonderegger, providing client-centered care means literally meeting her clients where they are."To want to take PrEP, you have to have some hope for your future. If you have no hope and you don't have any idea that you're going to live past the next year, there's no reason to take Truvada. It just doesn't matter." -- Meagan Sonderegger, Healthcare for the HomelessDuring this month's episode of Connecting Care, Drs. Alex Walley, Jessica Taylor, and Sim Kimmel, HIV primary care doctor and addiction specialists, sit down with two clinicians from Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, who share their experiences on the front lines, delivering innovative substance use treatment, HIV prevention, and HIV treatment where patients are.

An audit of Oakland's program to deal with homeless encampments deemed it to be, "not adequately prepared." For more, KCBS Insider Phil Matier joined KCBS Radio news anchor, Stan Bunger.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The director in charge of San Francisco's homeless program is stepping down. For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Jeff Bell and Patti Reising spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the special series, “Pathways to Pediatrics,” hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, interview Aura Obando, MD, FAAP, Family Team Medical Director for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Dr. Obando explains how a passion for global health in under-resourced areas led her to her own backyard.

Medical respite care tries to bridge the gap for homeless men and women who are too sick to be on the street or be in the shelter, but not sick enough to need to be in the hospital.Dr. David Munson, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and Andy McMahon, Vice President, Health and Human Services Policy UnitedHealthcare Community & State, discuss how to implement successful respite programs in this episode of Caring As Communities.

KFOR's Dale Johnson talks with Lincoln Public Schools Coordinator for the Homeless Program Outreach, Ellen Riley, about busing homeless children to school

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted shortcomings in our systemic approach to homelessness. Join Dr. Jim O'Connell, Founder of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and Bobby Watts, MPH, MS, CPH, and CEO, National Health Care for the Homeless Council as they discuss what needs to happen at local, state, and federal levels to better house and care for the health of these vulnerable individuals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the magnitude of health inequities that exist today. In this Curbside Consults as part of our “Inclusivity in Medicine” series, Dr. Jim O’Connell, President of the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program joins us to discuss how the...

Special guest host Karen Emmons, PhD, faculty lead for our Community Engagement program, interviews Sheila Dillon, chief of Housing and director of Neighborhood Development for the City of Boston, and Jessie Gaeta, chief medical officer for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Dillon and Gaeta discuss their combined efforts to help protect Boston's homeless population from COVID-19. This episode was produced in partnership with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Initiative on Health and Homelessness.

Ava Pipitone’s story began on a farm in rural Maryland. Although growing up in the avatar of a male body and thriving in boyhood, Ava always felt disconnected. After graduating college and going out into the world to experience how different cultures treated gender, Ava realized America offered no space for trans folks (including themselves) to thrive, contribute or even exist. They searched for the trans community and found it while working at Red Emma’s, a local Baltimore coffee shop where she ended up getting equity in the company and becoming one of the few trans business owners in the city. But as they got to know their customers on a deeper level, they realized they'd missed truly seeing the level of housing instability amongst their own community. So they decided to do something about it. After trying to find temporary home placements in spare bedrooms for homeless trans folks, they found a more efficient way to make it happen by launching Host Home — a tech platform that seamlessly manages temporary living arrangements for homeless folks while waiting for housing opportunities. As Ava chats with Scott about the unique journey they had as a trans entrepreneur, they remind all aspiring entrepreneurs that launching a business can be so much more than the pursuit of money; it’s the pursuit of making a difference. Trans people are powerful business owners for a reason — they’ve learned to navigate the ultimate unknowns, overcome obstacles to resiliently make space for themselves and bring unique wisdom to the world of business. It’s time for investors and entrepreneurs to support the trans community in a meaningful way. References:0:58 - LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ youth: https://voicesofyouthcount.org/brief/national-estimates-of-youth-homelessness6:10 - There's a 78% chance of being attacked, harassed, kicked out, or worse in a homeless shelter: https://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS%20Full%20Report%20-%20FINAL%201.6.17.pdfAva Pipitone Links: https://www.avapip.com, https://www.facebook.com/avapip, https://www.hosthome.community, https://www.suyana.ioGoDaddy links: https://businesscuriouspodcast.com, https://www.godaddy.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/godaddy, https://www.instagram.com/godaddy, https://www.facebook.com/godaddy, https://www.twitter.com/godaddy

In part one of our episode "Economic Disruptions During COVID-19: Resources for Relief and Recovery," Cecilia Wallace, AmeriCorps member serving as Case Manager with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, walks listeners through applying for unemployment, food assistance and health insurance, and talks about drawing on local and grassroots supports for folks who have been financially impacted by the pandemic.

"Don't Compare Your Chapter 1 with someone else's Chapter 20" -Heather "Don't compare relationships, stay focused, build the team, and find a mentor" -Greg Our guest for today is a dynamic couple, and serial entrepreneurs focusing on creating significance in every aspect of their lives. They have a combined experience of 23 years of full-time real estate investing, with significant expertise in wholesales, fix & flips, buy and holds, vacation rentals, residential assisted living, private lending, and syndication. They are passionate about main street investing and spreading financial knowledge. They are the Founders of New Hope Senior Living, Private Money Authority of TN and the Backpacks for the Homeless Program. They are parents of 4, world travelers and philanthropists.

The numbers are in and here are the fun cities in America. If you want to not be homeless you can move to Arkansas to pick up trash for the state or move to Florida to become a python hunter. Stu joins the show to discuss flesh eating bacteria and his vacation. Thanks to Alisha for the almond cookies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The numbers are in and here are the fun cities in America. If you want to not be homeless you can move to Arkansas to pick up trash for the state or move to Florida to become a python hunter. Stu joins the show to discuss flesh eating bacteria and his vacation. Thanks to Alisha for the almond cookies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WE ARE ON EPISODE 11! I don't know why I'm so excited at 11, but I AM SO EXCITED! Okay, I think it's also because today's guest has such a great story. I feel so honored to be able to share with you, Lora Troncoso who is the Founder and Director of Seattle Dogs Homeless Program. Seattle Dogs Homeless Program provides pet food, supplies, vet care, boarding and rescue for people and the animals they love who are experiencing homelessness in Seattle. Lora shares with us how she was inspired to start this program after her own experiences of being homeless with dogs. This woman is amazing, and she is a gem in this city. I found myself in tears several times throughout listening to Lora's story, and I am pretty sure you will get a bit teary as well. There are some great laughs in here too you guys, so don't worry. I'm probably going to listen to this episode a bunch of times because I want to tell everyone I meet about Lora and Seattle Dogs Homeless Program. They need a lot of help to keep doing the work they're doing. Their two biggest needs are financial donations to their veterinary fund/account at Greenwood Animal Hospital (How amazing is it that this incredible veterinary hospital stepped up to provide them with care?!), and a truck. They're currently using a car to deliver supplies in multiple trips all over the city to homeless pets and their people. If they could have a truck or some sort of vehicle that was easy to drive and could fit everything they need to deliver in one trip, that would be amazing. So, enjoy this episode, then please spread the word about Lora and Seattle Dogs Homeless Program. Let's help them continue to do this amazing work! For more information about Seattle Dogs Homeless Program: https://seattledogs.info https://www.facebook.com/Seattlesdogs https://www.instagram.com/werseattledogs --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

About 21 million Americans struggle with addiction every day, yet only 10 percent receive treatment. While that percentage is unbelievably low, the reality is that traditional methods of aid are inaccessible for many people, even if addicts are ready for treatment. Fortunately, many organizations recognize this issue and are creating paths to make treatment more accessible. Two innovative programs that are literally taking treatment to the streets are Boston Massachusetts’ Care ZONE, an on-wheels overdose treatment facility, and New Jersey’s Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU), paramedics equipped with lifesaving Suboxone. To guide us through these innovative programs is returning guest Dr. Jessie Gaeta, the Chief Medical Officer for the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, and Dr. Shereef Elnahal, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health. We first met Dr. Gaeta 3 years ago, when we discussed her Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment (SPOT) program. Today, she shares her insight into her latest project, Care ZONE, a mobile treatment facility helping to bring addiction treatment to those unable to visit treatment centers. Furthermore, Dr. Shereef Elnahal discusses the progress the MICU has made by adding of the gold-standard of opioid addiction treatment drugs, Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone), to their overdose recovery arsenal. Given these success stories, many people have argued that it’s time to relax our tight regulations on Suboxone prescriptions, and remove obstacles for recovery. In the meantime, programs like Boston’s Care ZONE and the New Jersey MICU paramedics, prove that outside-the-box solutions are crucial to progressing against the . For the full details of these revolutionary addiction treatment programs, listen to today’s podcast, and be sure to let us know what programs are making a difference in your home town, down in the comments.

This week, we are discussing a recent article from the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, entitled: Association between process measures and mortality in individuals with opioid use disorders, by Katherine Watkins and colleagues: Susan Paddock, Teresa Hudson, Songthip Ounpraseuth, Amy Schrader, Kimberly Hepner, and Bradley Stein. We are also joined by a guest discussant, Gabriel Wishik. Gabriel Wishik is a clinician educator in general and addiction medicine, and is an instructor at Boston University and Boston Medical Center. He is the clinic medical director at Boston’s Healthcare for the Homeless Program’s largest clinical site and practices harm reduction in primary care with a population at the front lines of the current opioid epidemic. You can find the obituary we shared on the show here. If you like the show, please rate and review us on itunes, google play, stitcher or your favorite podcasting app, which makes the show easier for others to find; and share us on social media. We tweet at @RoSpodcastand are on facebook at www.facebook.com/reviewofsystems. Please drop us a line at contact@rospod.org. We’d love to hear from you. Listen at the end of the episode for a promo code to receive 15% off registration fees for an upcoming conference from the Harvard Center for Primary Care: Primary Care in 2020 – Future Challenges, Tips for Today.

Today our guest is Jessie Gaeta, the Chief Medical Officer of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. She is a leading advocate for supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals, and has led BHCHPs efforts in responding to the opiate use disorder and overdose crisis, which is what we discussed. Dr. Gaeta and her colleagues found themselves confronting the reality of opiate overdose as the leading cause of death among Boston’s homeless individuals day after day on their campus. In reaction to this, Gaeta and her colleagues opened SPOT, or Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment – a space within their building where individuals can come after using to ride out a high while being monitored by a nurse for overdose, and for opiate reversal if necessary.

Monica Bharel, M.D., MPH, is the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, appointed in February of 2015. She is responsible for spearheading the state’s response to the opioid crisis, implementation of health care cost containment legislation, reducing health disparities, finding public health solutions for health care reform, finding innovative solutions using data and evidence-based practices, and other health care quality improvement initiatives. Dr. Monica served as the Chief Medical Officer of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, the largest nonprofit health care organization for homeless individuals in the country. In this episode, Dr. Monica explains the origins of the opium epidemic, as well as the program that is being implemented in Massachusetts after a rapid increase in the number of deaths by overdose. Prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery — the plan to face an addiction that has risen exponentially and needs an integral approach to stop threatening the lives of Americans.   Key Takeaways: [:40] Dr. Monica Bharel career briefing. [1:50] What else does Dr. Monica want to accomplish in healthcare? [2:50] Thoughts only days away from the health care reform. [4:23] Health in all policies. [5:30] The opium epidemic. [6:44] Plan in Massachusett against the opium epidemic: Prevention, Intervention, Treatment, and Recovery. [8:25] The Opium epidemic took everyone by surprise, how did it happen? [9:16] Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more powerful (and deadly) than heroin. [11:33] Recently more attention has been paid to pain. [13:06] Doctors are not been trained to treat addiction properly. [15:50] Pain is subjective and doctors are being trained to help people screen that pain. [17:33] In a society that wants instant gratification, pain is treated the same way. [19:34] The role of interventions. [20:16] The use of methadone. [22:44] Individuals with a non-fatal overdose when treated with methadone, decreased the chances of death by overdose in 50%. [24:47] Opium used disorder is political. [26:05] Highlighted attention to addiction nowadays. [28:26] Recovery and treatment. [28:55] The other crisis: the Me Too Movement. [30:30] Being a woman in healthcare. [32:41] Best advice Dr. Monica received in her career: You can have more than one mentor. [34:15] The artificial division between public health and the traditional medical space. [37:41] Use your strength to help individuals that do not always have a voice.   Mentioned in this episode: Relational Rounds at Primary Care Progress Primary Care Progress on Twitter Elizabeth Metraux on Twitter Massachusetts Department of Public Health Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Twitter.

Host Jeff Olivet visits Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program where they are working to prevent drug overdose and support treatment and recovery. His honest conversations with a person in treatment and a nurse and doctor bring to light some of the real, day-to-day issues of the opioid epidemic. Visit thinkt3.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for more resources to grow your impact. This episode originally released 9/19/17.  More Info Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Principles of Harm Reduction from the Harm Reduction Coalition SPOT, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Medication Assisted Treatment from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Host Jeff Olivet visits Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program where they are working to prevent drug overdose and support treatment and recovery. His honest conversations with a person in treatment and a nurse and doctor bring to light some of the real, day-to-day issues of the opioid epidemic. Visit thinkt3.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for more resources to grow your impact. This episode originally released 9/19/17.  More Info Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Principles of Harm Reduction from the Harm Reduction Coalition SPOT, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Medication Assisted Treatment from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Host Jeff Olivet visits Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program where they are working to prevent drug overdose and support treatment and recovery. His honest conversations with a person in treatment and a nurse and doctor bring to light some of the real, day-to-day issues of the opioid epidemic.

Host Jeff Olivet visits Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program where they are working to prevent drug overdose and support treatment and recovery. His honest conversations with a person in treatment and a nurse and doctor bring to light some of the real, day-to-day issues of the opioid epidemic.

A map of Cape Cod with ribbons representing those lost to substance abuse at the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. Photo by Ryan Sweikert for the Transom Story Workshop. Across New England, there’s been an epidemic of opioid addiction, overdose, and death. This hour, we dig deep into the causes of this crisis with health reporter Martha Bebinger. We travel to Cape Cod to hear firsthand the stories of those affected. We also look for solutions, including for those most at risk of overdose: inmates getting out of prison.  And we examine the role of New England’s traditional dairy industry in creating the landscape we love, as we remember forgotten farms. An Increasing Death Count The crisis of opioid addiction and overdose has taken hold especially hard in New England. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the rate of overdose deaths nationally nearly tripled between 1999 and 2014. Heroin and prescription opioids now account for nearly two thirds of drug overdose deaths in America. Overdose deaths went up by at least 20 percent between 2014 and 2015 in every New England state, well above the national average. Tommy, a repeat patient at the Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment, at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, says the facility has — and will continue to — save lives. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR. Massachusetts saw annual opioid-related deaths more than triple between 2010 and 2015. Data for 2016 is not out yet, but it looks like those rates will be higher still. WBUR health reporter Martha Bebinger joins us to talk about some of the stats, and she takes us to a unique facility in Boston where drug users are being watched over by doctors and nurses — while they are high. We recorded this conversation in October of 2016. As of January 3, 2017, the SPOT clinic has had 2,551 visits and seen 397 individual visitors. In 2015, Barnstable County on Cape Cod was ranked first in Massachusetts in terms of overdose deaths per capita. Part of the response has been increased use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, or Narcan, by first responders and citizens. Independent producer Ryan Sweikert brings us a story told by family members, police, and EMS workers struggling with the problem. Piecing It Together You may have heard of hackathons for solving computing problems. But can a room full of smart people hack the opioid crisis? That’s what doctors, counselors, current and former addiction patients, coders, and others attempted to do over a weekend in Boston last September. Massachusetts General Hospital and the GE Foundation hosted a hack-a-thon at District Hall to come up with novel ideas and technologies to combat opioid abuse. Photo by Joe Difazio for WBUR. Ideas included sensors on bathroom floors that would send an alert when someone is lying down; a mobile syringe exchange and counseling center; and a Fitbit style blood monitor that could inject naloxone into the wearer if needed. Martha Bebinger covered the story. Watch a video about the hackathon produced by the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies: Since we first aired Martha's report on the opioid crisis hackathon in October 2016, there have been some developments. The team that came up with the idea for wearable pouches that would contain naloxone and signal that the wearer is an ally has received funding from the GE Foundation.  The group – We Are Allies –  is beta testing the pouches, and has a website where you can sign up to participate. The GE Foundation is still considering other teams for a ten thousand dollar award, and plans to announce the winner at an event at Massachusetts General Hospital later this month. Judges will also consider ideas that weren't presented at the hackathon, like an equine therapy program for drug users. The group that's most at risk for a fatal opioid overdose is ex-prisoners in the first few weeks after being released. Even those who don't overdose are very likely to relapse into drug use within a month of leaving jail or prison. WNPR reporter Lori Mack visited a pilot program underway in New Haven, Connecticut that takes a new approach to addiction treatment. It starts before an inmate gets out from behind bars. Read More reporting on opioid addiction from the New England News Collaborative. When the Milk Runs Dry Dairy farms have been folding at an alarming rate. According to a new documentary film, “Forgotten Farms,” New England has lost 10,000 dairy farms in the last 50 years, and many of the remaining farms are struggling. We speak with Sarah Gardener, producer of the film and Associate Director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College. “Forgotten Farms” will be screening around New England in the spring. To find a showing near you, visit the film’s website. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Martha Bebinger and Lori Mack Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “It’s Clearing Now” by Birigid Mae Power, “Harbour Lights” by Miaoux Miaoux,”Draft Daughter’s Blues” by the Be Good Tanyas Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and milk mustache selfies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In response to opioid overdoses in Boston, Dr. Jessie Gaeta devised a safe space for rehabilitation called SPOT. She is the Chief Medical Officer of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program or BHCHP. SPOT (Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment) was made with the goal of preventing fatal overdoses in mind. Dr. Gaeta talks about how a safe place was missing from BHCHP facilities. She explains how SPOT provides a haven for over-sedated individuals to recuperate, who are mainly poor or homeless. Once they join the program, “they aren’t alone, they aren’t in public, and they aren’t on a street corner with no medical response nearby,” says Dr. Gaeta.

A map of Cape Cod with ribbons representing those lost to substance abuse at the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. (Credit: Ryan Sweikert) Across New England, there’s been an epidemic of opioid addiction, overdose, and death. This hour, we dig deep into the causes of this crisis with health reporter Martha Bebinger. We travel to Cape Cod to hear firsthand the stories of those affected. We also look for solutions, including for those most at risk of overdose: inmates getting out of prison.  And we examine the role of New England’s traditional dairy industry in creating the landscape we love, as we remember forgotten farms. An Increasing Death Count These days, the opioid addiction epidemic makes headlines constantly. Nationally, opioid overdose deaths hit record levels in 2014, the most recent year for which there is data. Of those deaths, 10,574 involved heroin, and 5,500 were caused by prescription opioids. Earlier this week, the DEA announced it would cut back the production of prescription opioid drugs by 25 percent next year. Nearly every New England state has exceeded the national average for overdose deaths, with big spikes in the last few years coming in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. In the Bay State, four to five people die of overdose on an average day. WBUR health reporter Martha Bebinger joins us to talk about some of the latest stats, and she takes us to a unique facility in Boston where drug users are being watched over by doctors and nurses — while they are high. Tommy, a repeat patient at the Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment, at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, says the facility has — and will continue to — save lives. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) Find Martha’s original report here. In 2015, Barnstable County on Cape Cod was ranked first in Massachusetts in terms of overdose deaths per capita. Part of the response has been increased use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, or Narcan, by first responders and citizens. Independent producer Ryan Sweikert brings us a story told by family members, police, and EMS workers struggling with the problem. Piecing It Together You may have heard of hackathons for solving computing problems. But can a room full of smart people hack the opioid crisis? That’s what doctors, counselors, current and former addiction patients, coders, and others attempted to do over a weekend in Boston last month. Ideas included sensors on bathroom floors that would send an alert when someone is lying down; a mobile syringe exchange and counseling center; and a Fitbit style blood monitor that could inject naloxone into the wearer if needed. WBUR’s Martha Bebinger covered the story. Massachusetts General Hospital and the GE Foundation hosted a hack-a-thon at District Hall to come up with novel ideas and technologies to combat opioid abuse. (Credit: Joe Difazio/WBUR) The group that's most at risk for a fatal opioid overdose is ex-prisoners in the first few weeks after being released. Even those who don't overdose are very likely to relapse into drug use within a month of leaving jail or prison. WNPR reporter Lori Mack visited a pilot program underway in New Haven, Connecticut that takes a new approach to addiction treatment. It starts before an inmate gets out from behind bars. Read Lori Mack’s story. More reporting on opioid addiction from the New England News Collaborative. When the Milk Runs Dry The harvest season in New England will wrap up soon. But for our region's principal agricultural product, dairy, production never stops — until a farm goes out of business. Dairy farms have been folding at an alarming rate. According to a new documentary film, “Forgotten Farms,” New England has lost 10,000 dairy farms in the last 50 years, and many of the remaining farms are struggling. We speak with Sarah Gardener, producer of the film and Associate Director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College. “Forgotten Farms” is showing around the region this fall. To find a screening near you, visit the film’s website. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Martha Bebinger and Lori Mack Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “It’s Clearing Now” by Birigid Mae Power,” Gold Dayzz” by Ultraista Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and milk mustache selfies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.