I’m honored to share that my first professional essay has been published in Health Affairs, one of the nation’s leading health policy journals with an audience of over 78 million readers.
The piece appears in the journal’s Narrative Matters section, part of a special issue on opioids. My essay explores the perinatal period for me and my daughter, highlighting how stigma and criminalization affect parents like me, and how policy choices can either perpetuate harm or create meaningful change.
Too often, parents who use or have used substances are criminalized instead of supported. This undermines the very goal of keeping families healthy and together. My story is just one example of the countless families caught in this tension.
Read the full essay here: Breaking Stigma – Health Affairs
Launch Event & Panel Discussion
To mark the release of this issue, Health Affairs hosted a virtual launch event. I was honored to speak on the panel “Treatment Gaps for Youth and Justice-Involved Individuals” at 3:15pm ET.
Watch the recording here: Health Affairs – Opioids Special Issue Launch Event
Why This Matters
I’m excited for the opportunities this work is opening up to help others, shift narratives, and move toward more compassionate, evidence-based care.
It’s clear that stories like mine, combined with research and policy analysis, can help shift narratives and advance compassionate, evidence-based care. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to contribute.