Join us for a virtual webinar on overdose prevention.

Register here: bit.ly/HNHodawareness

California has led the nation in many health-centered innovations in addressing substance use, while also seeing the proliferation of laws and services that rely on criminalization and coercion of people experiencing substance use disorder. Hear from experts in substance use disorder treatment and addiction care about the benefits of health-centered approaches to drugs that save lives and provide better pathways to voluntary care for those who need it. We'll discuss what these approaches look like in practice, why they work, and what it will take to make health—not harm—the foundation of California's response to substance use.

Registration: https://bit.ly/HNHkickoff

Featured Speakers:

• Brian Hurley, Interim Director and Medical Director, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Bureau, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

• Anna Steiner, MSW, MPH, Associate Director, Transitions Clinic Network

• Vanessa Ramos, Senior Advisor, Disability Rights California

• Grey Gardner, California State Director, Drug Policy Alliance (Moderator)

The LEAD program in Los Angeles provides pre-arrest intensive case management to meet complex needs, often relating to behavioral health, and prevent recurring arrests. The Los Angeles program, following the "Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion" (LEAD) model utilized in many communities throughout the U.S., has proven successful in reducing arrests and facilitating connections to care.

The project, started in 2017, relies on a collaborative partnership between law enforcement, the health department, and community-based service providers to "address root causes of frequent contact with law enforcement that is related to substance use, unmet mental health needs, and/or extreme poverty." An evaluation of the LA pilot project by the Cal State University - Long Beach School of Criminology found that 12 months after implementation similarly situated persons who were not referred to the program had felony arrest rates 537 percent higher than LEAD participants and misdemeanor arrest rates that were 153 percent higher.

Pending legislation, AB 2217 (by Assemblymember Rick Zbur) would expand eligibility for participation in Alternatives to Arrests programs and reauthorize funding for continuation of existing programs and development of new programs in additional jurisdictions throughout California.

Panelists will discuss the ongoing work in Los Angeles, the Alternatives to Arrest model, recent legislative efforts to expand eligibility and funding for such projects, and pathways toward building similar programs throughout California. Hosted by the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), Californians for Safety and Justice and the California Community Foundation.

Registration: https://bit.ly/Alternatives2Arrest

Featured Speakers:

• Erica Shehane, Los Angeles County Dept. of Health, Office of Diversion and Reentry

• Patricia Sully, Deputy Director, Purpose. Dignity. Action. 

• Jason Sodenkamp, the LEAD Referral Coordinator for the Community Health Project Los Angeles

• Grey Gardner, California State Director, Drug Policy Alliance (Moderator)

CA Bridge Connect is now live across California, and we want you to be part of what comes next. Whether you work in substance use care or for a community-based organization, whether you’re a peer supporter or simply care about making sure your neighbors can access addiction treatment when they need it, this event is for you.

What to expect: You'll hear directly from the people making CA Bridge Connect possible, including a navigator who answers the helpline daily and a community-based clinician supporting connections to care. 

We'll walk through how CA Bridge Connect works – using the helpline as a participant, loved one, or referring clinician – and ways to widen its reach in your community. We'll leave significant time for questions and conversation about how to continue to ensure CA Bridge Connect can sustainably serve our California communities. 

Who should join: Anyone in the state of California, namely, healthcare professionals, navigators, community-based organizations, social service sites, people seeking addiction support or their loved ones, and community leaders. 

Hosts:
Arianna Campbell, DMSc, MPH, PA-C
Cheryl Anne Batac, MPH, CHES

Panelists:
Katie Quijada, MPH, CHES, CHW
Reb Close, MD

Registration: https://forms.zohopublic.com/aria4/form/CABridgeConnectVirtualKickoff/formperma/tS6Lx7cKjY5SfhV67ApZXK4ah2cV8reS_kYW6vCFwjA

In the past few years, over half of U.S. states have introduced legislation to regulate or criminalize kratom and/or kratom-derived products, including 7-OH. At the federal level, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended scheduling 7-OH under the Controlled Substances Act; meanwhile, President Trump has signaled interest in sanctioning kratom for medicinal use. Across the country, people who use kratom, advocates, healthcare providers, and policymakers remain divided on how to best provide education and support to reduce the potential harms of products sold as kratom and 7-OH. What’s the way forward?

In this webinar, the Drug Policy Alliance will convene leading experts to discuss the current status and the future of kratom and 7-OH: What are kratom and 7-OH? Who uses these substances and what health benefits and risks do people experience? What is the legal status of kratom products and what can we expect moving forward? For kratom and 7-OH — as well as for other “gas station,” drugs, emerging drugs, and substances of uncertain legal status — what policies do we need to keep people safe? What are the impacts of regulating, scheduling, or banning kratom, 7-OH, and other emerging drugs? How might prioritizing regulation over criminalization lead to greater oversight of manufacturing and sales, more consumer safety and education, and reduced health risks? Recording date: July 9, 2026

Moderators:
Kellen Russoniello, JD, MPH, Director of Public Health at Drug Policy Alliance
Maritza Perez Medina, JD, Director of the Office of Federal Affairs at Drug Policy Alliance

Speakers:
Shoshana V. Aronowitz, PhD, MSHP, FNP-BC, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Katherine Hill, MPH, Yale School of Public Health
Stacey McKenna, PhD, R Street Institute
Cat Packer, JD, MA, Director of Drug Markets & Legal Regulation at Drug Policy Alliance
Darshan Singh, PhD, MPA, Centre for Drug Research at Universiti Sains Malaysia

Recording Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzNob7rKKOk