New Report from the Rockefeller Institute Examines the Opioid Crisis on the Ground in Rural Communities

“Stories from Sullivan, Vol. 1” Collects the First Eight Reports from the Ongoing, Real-Time Study in Sullivan County, New York

 

Report Accompanies Launch of Forum Series Addressing the Crisis 
   

Albany, NY — The Rockefeller Institute of Government has released a new report collecting the first eight dispatches from its ongoing, real-time study of the opioid epidemic in rural Sullivan County, New York.

Blending aggregate data analysis with months of on-the-ground research in affected communities, the report examines the growing opioid crisis through the eyes of the people on the front lines, from parents struggling with their children’s addictions to activists and county health officials.

The report coincides with the Institute launching a series of forums that aim to bring this research together with experts and policymakers to move toward effective, scalable solutions. The first forum was held at the Rockefeller Institute on June 27.

“Our communities are in crisis from the ever-growing opioid epidemic. As policymakers try various solutions to combat this epidemic, the numbers of overdoses and drug deaths have skyrocketed — it’s just not working,” said Jim Malatras, president of the Rockefeller Institute. “It’s critical that we focus on solutions that work and change this troubling trajectory. That process starts with listening to what the people on the ground are saying. It’s literally a matter of life and death. So we’re putting the evidence on the table to discuss what works and take the next step.”

The Institute has also released a video introducing the forums and the #StoriesfromSullivan project. View it here.

Read the report.