Fear of arrest stops some needed calls to 911 after opioid overdose

Posted on July 19, 2017 by O'Neill at IUPUI

Fear of being arrested still undercuts an Indiana law that shields anyone who administers naloxone from criminal charges, according to a survey conducted by two researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Naloxone is a lifesaving emergency reversal drug for opioid overdose.

Approximately 73 percent of survey respondents said 911 was called after naloxone was administered for an overdose, but 27 percent of respondents indicated 911 was not called, according to Dennis Watson, an associate professor in the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, and Brad Ray, an assistant professor in the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, both at IUPUI.

Watson and Ray said their research shows that people don’t call 911 because they are afraid of being arrested. (more…)

Fentanyl-related deaths lead another record year for drug overdoses in Marion County

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Brad Ray

With Dr. Dennis Watson, Fairbanks School of Public Health

Opioid overdoses continue to make local and national headlines. We recently worked with a group of researchers to publish a study showing dramatic increases in fatal opioid-related overdoses in Marion County; however, the data we used were only through 2015. We feel it is important to update the residents of our community on more recent trends, and so we have been working with Philip Huynh (Fairbanks School of Public Health) to update the toxicology data and Peter Phalen (University of Indianapolis) to estimate and map trends in overdose. We have used the same methodology from our earlier study, which looks at the detection of substances rather than the cause-of-death. It is important to note that with this methodology cases are not mutually exclusive so a single drug overdose can contain several substances and would be counted in each of those categories.

Drug Overdose Deaths in Marion County by Year

The updated data Phil collected shows drug overdose deaths have continued to rise in Marion County, reaching an all-time high of 345 in 2016. This is more than four times the average number of yearly traffic fatalities (85) in Marion County. This rise in drug overdose deaths has continued into the current year. As of May 1, 2017 (our most up-to date data), there have been 130 drug overdose deaths. This is in contrast to the 98 deaths that were recorded at the same time last year.

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Veteran professors Stucky, Lupton promoted to new roles in Indianapolis

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Michael L. Jackson

Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Dean John Graham has announced new leadership at the school’s Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus. Professor Thomas D. Stucky, who has been with SPEA at IUPUI since 2004, has been tapped as the Executive Associate Dean beginning July 1.

Stucky replaces Lilliard Richardson, who has completed his five-year term as EAD. Richardson will be taking a research leave in the Fairbanks School of Public Health and serving as a Faculty Fellow in the Center for Health Policy before returning to the SPEA faculty as a full-time policy studies professor.

Suzann Lupton, who started with the SPEA at IUPUI public affairs faculty in 2010, is joining Stucky in the leadership transition as Assistant Dean. A former attorney with Baker & Daniels, Lupton will be responsible for a variety of areas, including public affairs education, diversity promotion, and student services.

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“You are the students who look at their scope of work and demand its commitment to something greater than themselves”

Posted on May 14, 2017 by O'Neill at IUPUI

By Sawyer Knuteson, 2017 SPEA Commencement Student Speaker

Neither greatness nor failure is made in a day; both will take a lifetime to achieve.

This is something that I have said to myself throughout my college career. It has encouraged me in times of tribulation, and humbled me when my arrogance bested me. However, these terms may have a different definition depending on the person with whom you speak; one woman’s failures may be another’s successes, so this is why to define these terms we must first look within.

Many nights we spent long hours writing papers, highlighting the readings or maybe even secretly plotting mutiny within our group projects.

All of these experiences prepared us for class, but they also refined us for difficulties that lay ahead. Despite these experiences and refining moments it is far too often I hear my generation referred to as snowflakes. “Oh you delicate snowflake.” “Don’t hurt the snowflake, they are easily offended.” Well this time, hell yes I’m offended! Because I do not think we understand what a snowflake is capable of and what it means when someone calls us this strange and wonderful insult!

You do realize a snowflake is unique? (more…)

Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush to SPEA grads: “You’re making your communities better places”

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Michael L. Jackson

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush served as the keynote speaker for SPEA’s annual graduation dinner, held Friday night at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis.

Rush, who was appointed to the state’s highest court in 2012, shared the story of her journey from humble beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to her rise to Chief Justice, and she praised graduates for their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others during her 20-minute address.

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