A professional organization dedicated to translating scientific knowledge from the field of prevention science into effective and sustainable practices, systems and policies.
Virtual Congressional Briefing Series
Protecting Federal Leadership in Addiction Science and Public Health
PART V: The Importance of Community Engaged Research to Reduce Substance Use and Promote Community Well-Being
Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 2:00-3:30pm ET
The Addiction Science Defense Network (ASDN) is pleased to announce an upcoming series of six congressional briefings on the critical importance of sustained federal support for addiction research, prevention, treatment, and recovery services. This briefing series will consist of six sessions, approximately 3-4 weeks apart.
Addiction remains a profound public health challenge, touching every community and family across the US. While the costs—social, economic, and personal—are immense, so too are the opportunities before us. Groundbreaking research continues to reveal the complex biological, psychological, and social factors driving substance use disorders. This body of research has led to:
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development of more effective treatments and prevention programs,
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increasingly accurate identification of the predictors of substance use and dependence,
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a better understanding of how different people are likely to respond to interventions so they can be more appropriately treated, and
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knowledge about the risk factors for relapse so we can intervene and provide support.
In essence, through continued federal leadership and investment, our nation has been making significant strides toward preventing youth substance use and improving the lives of individuals with addiction and their families.
ASDN—comprised of scientists, practitioners, educators, clinicians, community advocates, and people with lived experience—advocates to preserve funding for federal agencies that serve as the backbone of our nation’s efforts to address our substance use disorder crises through research and the development of evidence-based programs and policies. We are also urging that the federal government scale up supports for States and Communities to be able to reliably deliver needed programs and services.
Part I – Federal Response to Addiction in the U.S.
This session occurred on January 13, 2026. Speakers covered the impact of addiction on public health, the indispensable roles of the CDC and SAMHSA in combating substance use disorders by supporting treatment and prevention services, and the economic and human consequences of underfunding for states and constituents.
Part II – Scientific Foundations for Our Response to Addiction
This session occurred on February 5, 2026. Speakers highlighted ongoing and future scientific advancements in addiction research, showcased NIH’s role in developing new treatments and preventive interventions, and emphasized the importance of ongoing federal leadership and investment in addiction science and services.
Part III – Connecting Addiction Science to Public Health Policy
This session will focus on bridging scientific research with impactful public health policy, aiming to create a more effective and efficient system of services. The discussion will address the critical question: Do investments in research and evidence-based programs make a difference in public health outcomes?
Part IV – The Promise of Prevention to Address Addiction
This session will showcase how prevention research has led to a better understanding of the causal mechanisms of substance misuse and addiction, leading to the development of programs, policies, and practices to prevent pathways to substance use in our youth.
Part V – The Importance of Community Engaged Research to Reduce Substance Use and Promote Community Well-Being
June 4, 2026, 2:00-3:30pm ET | REGISTER for Part V
This session will focus on the essential role that community involvement plays in advancing research related to substance use prevention, intervention, and recovery. Drawing on diverse expertise, the session will highlight how engaging communities not only enhances the relevance and effectiveness of research but also ensures that policies and interventions are culturally responsive and sustainable.
Part VI – The Aftermath: A Whole of Society Approach to Substance Use
June 17, 2026, 2:00-3:30pm ET | REGISTER for Part VI
This session will feature a foremost authority from Alberta Canada who is transforming systems and mindsets through an understanding of how lifelong health is determined by more than just our genes: early life experiences change our brains in ways that make us more or less vulnerable to health problems in adulthood. A science-based roadmap will be presented for improving our physical and mental health, reducing vulnerability to addiction, and addressing related health problems across the lifespan.
Agenda & Speakers
Part V – The Importance of Community Engagement to Reduce Substance Use and Promote Community Well-Being
Moderator
Dr. Diana Fishbein, Nova Scholar, is the President and Director of the National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives (NPSC), a senior scientist in the FPG Child Development Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill, and part-time research faculty at Penn State. Her 40 year career has focused on addiction-related research, funded largely by NIH, other federal agencies and foundations, as well as on translating science into public health policy.
Jochebed Gayles, PhD, Assistant Research Professor, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Penn State University
"Centering Community Power and Wisdom to Prevent Substance Use and Promote Youth Well-Being"
Overview: This presentation will highlight how youth, families, and community partners can co-lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of prevention strategies to reduce substance use and promote community well-being. It will share examples of participatory and community-engaged approaches that strengthen local prevention systems and advance equity.
Jochebed Gayles, PhD, is an Assistant Research Professor and Implementation Scientist at the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State University. She is also a Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluator and Lead Research and Evaluation Strategist for the Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support (EPIS) project. Her work focuses on participatory evaluation approaches, community-engaged research, and systems change strategies that strengthen prevention systems for children, youth, and families. She collaborates with community coalitions, public agencies, and youth co-researchers to design, adapt, and scale evidence-informed practices that reduce substance use and promote behavioral health and well-being. Dr. Gayles’ research examines how implementation frameworks, data use, and capacity-building supports can advance equity and improve outcomes for communities most affected by structural disadvantage. She has served as a lead or co-investigator and evaluation lead on multi-site prevention initiatives and provides technical assistance on implementation science, youth engagement, and evaluation literacy to local and state partners. Her work aims to bridge research, policy, and lived experience to inform sustainable, community-driven solutions.
Mike Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance (USAPA)
"Alcohol: A National Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight"
Overview:
Mike Marshall is the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance (USAPA). He brings more than 30 years of change making, policy advocacy and civic organizing experience to this role. In 2017 he co-founded Oregon Recovers, a statewide movement of people in recovery committed to ending Oregon's addiction crisis. As executive Director of Oregon Recovers, he played an instrumental role in the creation of the Oregon Alcohol Policy Alliance (OAPA), the Recovery Network of Oregon and the Recovery Community Summit. Mike lives in Portland, Oregon with his husband Rob and is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum of Oregon. He recently celebrated 18 years of continuous recovery from drugs and alcohol.
Velma McBride Murry, PhD, Lois Autrey Betts Endowed Chair, Co-Director, VUMC Program for Population Health and Engagement Research, University Distinguished Professor, Departments of Health Policy & Human and Organizational Development, Vanderbilt University
Rachel Winograd, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Addiction Science, University of Missouri, St. Louis and the Missouri Institute of Mental Health
"Start with Service, Then Study What Sticks"
Overview:
Rachel Winograd, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, Associate Professor, and Director of Addiction Science at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Her work - spanning clinical care, research, program development, and advocacy - is supported by a range of federal, state, and foundation funders and centers on interventions to save and improve the lives of people who use drugs. Dr. Winograd and her team partner with organizations across Missouri to distribute naloxone and other life-saving supplies, build capacity within community settings, increase knowledge and receptivity to evidence-based interventions, and rigorously study both implementation and impact, as well as the broader forces shaping substance use outcomes. Substantively, their work focuses on preventing overdose deaths and drug-related harm while expanding access to critical medications, innovative service delivery methods, and person-centered approaches to care across St. Louis, Missouri, and beyond.
Liliana Miranda, CHW, Program Coordinator, University of New Mexico, Collegiate Recovery Center (CRC)
"Strengthening Prevention Through Community Engagement: Expanding Access, Connection, and Recovery"
Overview: This presentation highlights how substance use often begins not in crisis, but in moments where people lack connection, support, and accessible information. Drawing from lived experience and community-based practice, it underscores how culturally responsive engagement and language access strengthen prevention efforts, particularly in systems where addiction does not discriminate, but access to recovery does.
Liliana “Lily” Miranda is a Community Health Worker and a Master of Public Administration student at the University of New Mexico. She serves as the Program Coordinator for the UNM Collegiate Recovery Center, where she develops and implements culturally responsive, harm reduction–focused programming to support students in recovery. As a first-generation Latina and person in recovery, her work is grounded in lived experience and a commitment to advancing equitable access to behavioral health services. Lily has contributed to coalition-building efforts across community and academic settings, supported direct care agencies, and advanced advocacy to expand Spanish-language access by translating and adapting behavioral health trainings. Her work focuses on bridging community-informed approaches with evidence-based strategies to strengthen prevention, improve engagement, and ensure recovery support systems are accessible, culturally responsive, and sustainable.
Why Your Participation Matters
Federal leadership is essential to maintaining the scale, consistency, and vision necessary to address the complex challenge of addiction. The briefing will provide members of Congress, their staff, agency officials, national and community organizations, media, and the public with the latest data and real-world stories illustrating why robust support for NIH, CDC, and SAMHSA is vital to saving lives, fostering innovation, and promoting recovery nationwide.
Join ASDN as we advocate for continued and increased federal investment in addiction science and services. Together, we can ensure the future health and well-being of millions of Americans and sustain the progress our nation has made in the fight against substance use disorders.