In this member-exclusive webinar, Katharine Neill Harris, the Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy at the Baker Institute, discussed the ongoing overdose epidemic in the United States, which saw a record number of drug-related deaths in 2020. Though this crisis has many causes — including fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, restricted access to treatment and harm reduction services, and, at the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic — despite widespread calls for reform, drug war policies continue to harm individuals and communities. Neill Harris's presentation outlined current trends in drug use and policy and provide recommendations for corrective action.
Roundtable Dialogues are informal, member-exclusive discussions with Baker Institute experts on current events, politics and policy. These thought-provoking conversations provide insights into issues that affect policy at local, national and global levels.
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Registration
This webinar was free and open to members of the Roundtable and Roundtable Young Professionals. For registration assistance or more information about our premier membership forums, please contact Rachel Smith at [email protected] or Morgan Garvey at [email protected].
Agenda
Noon — Presentation
12:30 p.m. — Q&A
Featured Speaker
Katharine Neill Harris, Ph.D., is the Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy at the Baker Institute. Her current research focuses on the availability of drug treatment for at-risk populations, the opioid epidemic, and the legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis. She supports policy reforms that treat drug use as a public health issue, such as alternatives to incarceration for drug offenders, needle-exchange programs, safe-consumption sites, drug testing services, expanded access to medication-assisted treatments, and greater integration of substance use and mental health services with each other and with other areas of medical service. Neill Harris received a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from George Mason University. She earned a master’s degree in public administration from Old Dominion University before going on to complete her Ph.D. in public administration and urban policy. She received the Old Dominion University Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award in 2014 and the Simon Scholarship for Academic Performance in 2011 and 2012.
