Addressing Addiction Recovery in 2021 and Beyond

Rates of addiction, or substance use disorders, and overdose, continue to rise in the United States, impacting 46% of American families (Pew, 2017). Now, the country is forced to deal with this health crisis while balancing a global pandemic. Addiction and substance use disorders are complex, requiring the involvement of professionals and organizations from health practitioners to nonprofits and policymakers to combat the many healthcare and societal issues tied to these conditions.

Saint Joseph’s University experts, Stephen Forzato, director of the Center for Addiction and Recovery Education (CARE), and Joseph Garbely ’85, D.O., DFASAM, executive vice president of medical services and chief medical officer at Caron Treatment Centers, will discuss the impact of the addiction crisis across the country and in Pennsylvania in particular, and how the coronavirus pandemic is compounding the issues. This discussion will be moderated by Tonya Lupinacci ’24, J.D., former Montgomery County prosecutor, currently co-chairwoman of the Women in Law Committee and member of the Public Safety Committee for Montgomery Township.