Omari Richins, MPH of Public Health Careers podcast talks with Dr. Ashley Loveless, DrPH, MPH about her journey from public health into criminal justice and her work at the intersection of harm reduction, substance use, and community safety.
In this episode, Ashley explores how drug checking and other harm reduction strategies can save lives, why trust and relationships are critical when working across public health and criminal justice systems, and the role of data sharing in overdose prevention. She also discusses restorative approaches to justice and how working directly with marginalized communities has shaped her approach to public health.
Chapters: @0:00 Introduction to Dr. Ashley Loveless and episode overview @14:57 Work in substance use initiatives and drug checking @18:10 Understanding harm reduction and its community impact @20:25 Stories illustrating harm reduction's life-saving potential @23:32 Intersection of criminal justice and public health @28:33 What public health means to her @29:20 Her journey into public health and education background @34:13 Pursuing a DrPH and its significance @35:50 Research on advanced drug checking and trust-building @38:19 Leadership skills gained through doctoral studies @40:32 Early work in NICU and lessons learned @42:54 Experience as a harm reduction volunteer and community engagement @43:59 Work at Mile High Behavioral Health Care and lessons learned @46:04 Impact of direct service work on professional approach @49:38 Overdose response strategy at CDC Foundation @50:18 Importance of data sharing in overdose crises @51:26 Work with Trailhead Institute supporting public health infrastructure @53:28 Advice for students and professionals in public health @54:21 Skills needed to navigate policy and government @55:45 Furious Five: Public health advice and personal growth insights
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