Rapid Response Research on COVID-19 and Related Policy Responses
The Department of Research and Academic Engagement would like to facilitate collaboration between interdisciplinary researchers, community-based organizations, and people who use drugs in order to measure and evaluate the impacts of COVID-19 and related policy responses. We hope to provide a space for innovative rapid response research on key public health, drug policy, and criminal justice areas and to help make these findings available to harm reduction, healthcare, and treatment providers, people who use drugs, policy makers, and the community at large.
We identified several areas where rapid research and evaluation could guide policy reform and invited interested parties to join us in conversation. Over 100 researchers, community-based organizations, and people who use drugs joined these calls and the topics and recordings are available below.
We have started a Google group and listserv for researchers, community-based organizations, and people who use drugs to share COVID-19 related research resources with one another. Email Sheila Vakharia (svakharia [at] drugpolicy.org) if you would like to be added.
COVID-19-Related Decarceration and Decriminalization
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
- Decarceration of older individuals, those with health conditions, parole/probation violations, and certain charges, and
- De facto drug decriminalization due to prosecutor discretion and shifted law enforcement priorities
COVID-19 Policy Impacts on Drug Supplies and Drug Markets
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
- Illicit drug supplies (i.e. quality and cost), drug market dynamics, supplier/distributor/seller experiences, and consumer experiences, and
- Medical and adult use marijuana supplies and markets
COVID-19 Impacts on Drug use, Overdose, Harm Reduction, Treatment, and HIV/HCV
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
- Drug using patterns and practices, including utilization of harm reduction and overdose prevention strategies,
- Fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses, drug-related harms, and other adverse effects,
- Access to harm reduction services and supplies, medications for opioid use disorder, and evidence-based treatments, and
- Incidence and prevalence of HIV, HCV, and other blood-borne infections.
Office of Academic Engagement
Video
The Department of Research and Academic Engagement would like to facilitate collaboration between interdisciplinary researchers, community-based organizations, and people who use drugs in order to measure and evaluate the impacts of COVID-19 and related policy responses. We hope to provide a space for innovative rapid response research on key public health, drug policy, and criminal justice areas and to help make these findings available to harm reduction, healthcare, and treatment providers, people who use drugs, policy makers, and the community at large.
We identified several areas where rapid research and evaluation could guide policy reform and invited interested parties to join us in conversation. Over 100 researchers, community-based organizations, and people who use drugs joined these calls and the topics and recordings are available below.
We have started a Google group and listserv for researchers, community-based organizations, and people who use drugs to share COVID-19 related research resources with one another. Email Sheila Vakharia (svakharia [at] drugpolicy.org) if you would like to be added.
COVID-19-Related Decarceration and Decriminalization
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
- Decarceration of older individuals, those with health conditions, parole/probation violations, and certain charges, and
- De facto drug decriminalization due to prosecutor discretion and shifted law enforcement priorities
COVID-19 Policy Impacts on Drug Supplies and Drug Markets
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
- Illicit drug supplies (i.e. quality and cost), drug market dynamics, supplier/distributor/seller experiences, and consumer experiences, and
- Medical and adult use marijuana supplies and markets
COVID-19 Impacts on Drug use, Overdose, Harm Reduction, Treatment, and HIV/HCV
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
- Drug using patterns and practices, including utilization of harm reduction and overdose prevention strategies,
- Fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses, drug-related harms, and other adverse effects,
- Access to harm reduction services and supplies, medications for opioid use disorder, and evidence-based treatments, and
- Incidence and prevalence of HIV, HCV, and other blood-borne infections.