Rockefeller Institute researchers Patricia Strach and Katie Zuber joined Susan Arbetter on Capitol Pressroom this week to discuss their ongoing work studying the opioid crisis in Sullivan County, New York.

Now on part 5, Stories from Sullivan examines how the opioid epidemic is experienced in a rural community, and how that community responds. The study combines aggregate data analysis — the “view from 30,000 feet” — with on-the-ground interviews and observations in the community.

“People working on the frontlines of the opioid crisis, they want to be heard,” Strach said. “They’ve talked repeatedly about wanting state officials to come down there and tour the facilities with the cameras off and listen to what the problems are…. They do need resources but they also want policymakers to understand how complicated, how difficult, the problem is. A lot of them are comparing it to AIDS, saying we really need to focus on this as something that is killing people in our community.”

Listen to the full interview:

READ THE SERIES

The Rockefeller Institute’s Stories from Sullivan series combines aggregate data analysis with on-the-ground research in affected communities to provide insight into what the opioid problem looks like, how communities respond, and what kinds of policies have the best chances of making a difference. Follow along here and on social media with the hashtag #StoriesfromSullivan.