Almost 110,000 Americans died from drug overdose last year, more than car accidents or gun deaths. Join us for a pivotal talk by Scott Walters, PhD, on the roots and impact of the national overdose crisis. Dr. Walters will trace the history of the crisis through changes in prescribing practices, the evolution of the heroin supply, economic influences, and the increasing presence of fentanyl. This colloquium will highlight effective community-based strategies for reducing opioid overdose and harm. The talk will help people learn how to identify and support someone who might be at risk of overdose, and to understand the range of strategies that can be used to reduce overdose deaths in their community.

Dr. Scott Walters is Regents Professor of Population and Community Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. His research over the past 20 years has focused on developing better ways of helping people change. This has included developing, implementing, and evaluating interventions for substance use, mental health, violence, cancer risk, and other health outcomes. A consistent focus of his work has been on advancing health equity and improving outcomes for underserved populations. His recent projects include: 1) developing and evaluating an adaptive smartphone intervention to reduce alcohol drinking among adults experiencing homelessness; 2) developing and evaluating a communication skills training for the US Army; 3) evaluating an online vocational training program for veterans with justice involvement; 4) disseminating strategies to address pain, opioid use, and overdose deaths; and 5) developing, disseminating and implementing substance use interventions for adolescents, young adults, and people with developmental disabilities. He is also the Steering Committee Chair for the HEALing Communities Study, a large implementation science study to reduce opioid-related deaths in 67 highly impacted communities.

Lunch will be served starting at 11:45am