Beyond Substance Podcast Launches Season Two

Focusing on Indiana Efforts to Address Substance Use Disorder

INDIANAPOLIS – The Marion County Public Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health are teaming up to sponsor season two of the Beyond Substance podcast. The first episode of season two, along with archived episodes of season one, is available now at beyondsubstancepodcast.org and wherever podcasts are available.

Led by a production team that includes hosts Dean Babcock and Jodi Miller, and producers Shawn Neal and Angela Shamblin, Beyond Substance continues its commitment to share meaningful information with listeners about substance use disorder and recovery.

This podcast was created with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant. The Marion County Public Health Department sponsored the first season and joins the Indiana Department of Health in sponsoring season two, which is focusing outside of Marion County to also highlight the exciting efforts happening on the state level.

The first episode of season two welcomes Doug Huntsinger, executive director for Drug Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement, and chairman of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder; and Jay Chaudary, director of the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and chair of the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission.

These two guests discuss initiatives through the Indiana governor’s office and the Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addition, such as the Atlas data tool and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Just like in season one, each Beyond Substance episode in season two will feature a guest with a life experience who will talk about their treatment and recovery journey.

CDC's Overdose Data to Action cooperative agreement currently provides funding to 90 health departments under two distinct programs to reduce drug overdoses and the impact of related harms. OD2A focuses on understanding and tracking the complex and changing nature of the drug overdose crisis by seamlessly integrating data and prevention strategies.