Rhode Island has faced many crises over the years but few compare to the current opioid epidemic that has thousands of families under siege. In THE FIX: EXAMINING RHODE ISLAND’S OPIOID EPIDEMIC, Rhode Island PBS takes an in-depth look at the effects this crisis has had on our communities, from the loss of life to the paramedics who deal with accidental overdoses every day. The program also looks at the Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force to better understand what is being done to combat this epidemic, shine a light on innovative ideas and best practices, and legislation under consideration. The program makes its television premiere on Thursday, May 24 at 8 p.m. Guests interviewed for the show include (in alphabetical order):
- Francesca Beaudoin, MD – director of clinical research in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Geoff Capraro, MD, MPH – assistant professor of emergency medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and inventor of NaloxBox
- Jennifer Clarke, MD, MPH – medical programs director, Adult Correctional Institution
- Tom Coderre – senior advisor to the Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force, former Obama administration appointee to SAMHSA
- Ryan Dennis – currently in active recovery and MAT program
- Jim Dorroh – PONI volunteer and naloxone trainer
- Linda Hurley, MA, CAGS, LCDCS – president and CEO of CODAC
- Maureen Kershaw – Rhode Island mother who lost one son to overdose and has two other sons in recovery
- Brandon Marshall, PhD – special advisor to the Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force, and associate professor of epidemiology at Brown University School of Public Health
- James McDonald, MD, MPH – chief administrative officer of the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline for the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH)
- Michelle Taylor, MS, CAGS, LMHC – director of Outpatient, HIV and Re-entry Services at Community Care Alliance (CCA)
- Gary Zeman – peer recovery specialist at CCA, also in active recovery
Local broadcast of THE FIX: Examining Rhode Island's Opioid Epidemic is made possible in part by
