All are invited (by Zoom!) to hear my thoughts on Public Health, Kids, and Nicotine/Cannabis products. Be there or be 🟥. 😎

Historic. For the first time, a state can use federal Medicaid funds to pay for a person’s health services during incarceration. California’s 1115 waiver request to use Medicaid 90 days prior to release from jails & prisons was just approved by HHS . cms.gov/newsroom/press…

I don't share much personal news on here but given that my last name will be changing..well I'll be hyphenating it. I am excited to share that I got married. 👰🏽🤵🏽#DrOchoaDominguez

How does addiction actually affect free will? my latest nytimes.com/2023/04/24/opi…

New publication alert. Review of strengths-based approach to drug management and treatment with Jerel Ezell and others. Learn more at: link.springer.com/article/10.100…

New paper in Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Tx (JSAT) on methamphetamine-related coroner cases in Los Angeles, 2012-2021. As # of meth-related deaths increased by >480%, the causes of deaths shifted from largely cardiovascular to co-involved opioids. WHO was dying also changed. 1/14 sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

“Abolition and harm reduction in the struggle for “Care, Not Cages” by Jeremy Levenson, Laura Textor, Ricky N. Bluthenthal, Anna Darby, Rafik Wahbi, & Mark-Anthony Clayton-Johnson (2023) via International Journal of Drug Policy…how do you feel about abolishing prisons? Link: sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Congratulations to Jess Barrington-Trimis for being named the 2023 recipient of the Keck School of Medicine of USC Carolyn Meltzer, MD Early Career Award for Teaching Excellence. Her contributions to Institute for Addiction Science at USC and Population and Public Health Sciences at USC training programs and her mentoring are simply exceptional. Way to go Jess!

“Notice of major cleaning”: A qualitative study of the negative impact... sciencedirect.com/science/articl… Important study led by jesse lloyd/ישי אריה w/ @amandacowan Ben Henwood and me. Demonstrates how sweeps undermine well-being among people who are unhoused.

Trends in COVID-19 testing, infection, vaccination, and housing assistance among people who inject drugs in Los Angeles and Denver: Journal of Substance Use: Vol 0, No 0 tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10… New paper led by @rceasara w/ jesse lloyd/ישי אריה Kelsey A Simpson, PhD Ricky N. Bluthenthal et al

The pain doctor wrote “withdrawal is uncomfortable but won’t kill you” for his patient with muscular dystrophy on a ventilator (!) I have to wonder if they knew of the 2016 article by Shane Darke in Addiction Journal

Thanks for the shoutout, Joseph Friedman, MD, PhD, MPH!! I appreciated all of your help with it.

Yesterday, I successfully defended my dissertation, surrounded by dear friends and family. I am especially grateful to my committee @rhacel Josh Seim Dr. Brittany Friedman 🌹 Ricky N. Bluthenthal for their endless guidance and support. Now Dr. DiMario.

doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr… by @SidSGanesh Ricky N. Bluthenthal and others. Link to full article is above.

New publication alert. Available at harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11… by Maria Bolshakova Kelsey A Simpson, PhD @SidSGanesh jesse lloyd/ישי אריה & Ricky N. Bluthenthal Underscores another way that fentanyl is changing treatment and risk environment for people who use drugs

Final version on our paper of COVID Testing, Vaccinations and housing for people who use drugs in Los Angeles and Denver is out. Full text is available at: tandfonline.com/eprint/ZXTPZPE… @rceasara jesse lloyd/ישי אריה

Infective endocarditis is growing in the US due to our aging population and increases in injection drug use. This is one of the first community samples to look at risk factors for #IE-IDU in the US led by @SidSGanesh with @jabarocas et al. PDF link V authors.elsevier.com/c/1kcFD1LiD3LO…

One of the most poignant findings was that 1 in 5 told us they are actively seeking treatment and couldn’t get it,

A word about what’s going on in Los Angeles:

✨ Announcing the appointment of Ricky Bluthenthal, PhD, as chair of Population and Public Health Sciences at USC. Ricky N. Bluthenthal has served as interim chair since July 2024. Dr. Bluthenthal will provide strategic leadership to advance the department’s research, education, and community partnerships.