On November 14, Erick Lauber, professor of Journalism and Public Relations, provided the
keynote address at the Open Door’s annual meeting. His talk provided a few
personal stories and focused on the current opioid crisis and efforts to reduce
overdose deaths. His primary message was to thank the Open Door for their
decades of service and to encourage the audience to help fight the stigma of
drug and alcohol addiction.
The Open Door in Indiana has provided drug and alcohol
counseling since 1972. It also runs the county’s crisis line and provides case
manager and nurse navigator services to hundreds in the county.
Lauber’s address at the Open Door is directly linked to his
position as director of Community Health and Leadership at the Mid-Atlantic
Research and Training Institute for Community and Behavioral Health (MARTI-CBH).
The institute’s mission centers around conducting research and creating education
and training programs in relation to public health issues, including, but not
limited to, substance use disorders, mental health issues, and domestic
violence intervention. Visit the MARTI website for more information on the research
and programs currently being developed.