Imeth Illamperuma is an undergraduate student at McMaster University studying Kinesiology with a Secondary in Psychology and a Certificate in Rehabilitation Science. He has extensive experience in public health research and policy advocacy, drawing experience from Stanford University, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and McMaster University. His work focuses on a plethora of topics including harm reduction, mental health, and the integration of artificial intelligence in clinical decision-making. His work is anchored in a commitment to preventative care and health equity, guided by research that drives real-world impact. Imeth is the Founder and President of SHIELD and the Founder of The Naloxone Project, one of the largest student-led University based emergency naloxone implementation and advocacy initiatives in Canada.
Suhanee Mitragotri is an incoming medical student at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a graduate of Harvard College, where she studied Neuroscience with a Secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. She is also the Co-Founder of the Naloxone Education Initiative, a program that aims to expand opioid and naloxone education to youth. She has written extensively on topics related to the opioid crisis, harm reduction, and drug policy and has published articles in various journals and magazines, including The Lancet Regional Health Americas, Addiction, Health Affairs Forefront, The Boston Globe, and New Scientist.
David T. Zhu is a third-year MD/PhD candidate in Health Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. His research focuses on substance use disorders, pharmacoepidemiology, health economics, and social determinants of health. His work has been published in leading journals, including The Lancet, The Lancet Regional Health Americas, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Network Open, JAMA Psychiatry, Nature Scientific Reports, BMJ Injury Prevention, and Harm Reduction Journal. David’s contributions to addressing the overdose crisis have been recognized by multiple foundations, including The Diana Award, the Boston Congress of Public Health’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health, the National Minority Quality Forum’s 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health, and the U.S. Public Health Service’s Excellence in Public Health Award.
Given the scale of the pediatric overdose crisis, medical students must receive early and consistent training on how to screen for substance use and engage in overdose prevention during pediatric encounters.
Researchers and policymakers must challenge the default framing and stereotypical minority myth mindset which uniformly classifies AANHPI communities as low-risk, hindering both visibility and resource allocation.
This eBook provides actionable strategies, real-world best practices to help payers stay ahead in a value-based care environment.