FTCoE Opioid Webinar Series Shares Knowledge, Promotes Collaboration

• NCJ Number: 251434
• Author(s): Becky Lewis
• Date Published: November 2017
• Length: 3 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Award: A proposal to operate the National Criminal Justice Technology Resource Center.

Annotation

This article discusses the features and benefits of the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ’s) Forensic Technology Center of Excellence’s (FTCoE’s) webinar series on combating the opioid epidemic in the United States.

Abstract

The series was launched in July 2017 and consists of 15 episodes planned through the end of 2017. Presenters have included a number of toxicologists and researchers familiar with the more technical aspects of dealing with the epidemic. The goal of the series is to have presentations by experts from various disciplines who will cover issues in the opioid epidemic from the perspective of their professional experience and knowledge. One webinar featured Sam Quinones, author of “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic,” an award-winning nonfiction bestseller. He discussed the research underlying his book. A former district attorney spoke on the legal aspects of the epidemic. Each webinar lasts approximately 1 hour, with a 45-minute presentation and a planned 15-minute questions-and-answer session. The first six webinars drew nearly 1,600 participants. Archival versions of the presentations are accessible on the FTCoE website within 48 hours of the live events.