NEW PODCAST: CLEARing the Air: Understanding Washington’s Drug Crisis Response
10/08/2025
With the increase in overdose deaths in our state and over the years, what we’re doing in Washington State is recognized as a crisis response. In this new podcast series, ADAI’s Community-Law Enforcement Aligning in Response to Substance Use (CLEARS) Project will be exploring the system currently in place to respond to drug use through firsthand knowledge and storytelling from those inside the system, with a goal of looking at the parts to gain a better perspective of the whole.
Each episode will feature real-world perspectives from the criminal justice system, treatment programs, and those with lived experience of drug use. You can listen to the episodes in order, or jump to a specific topic!
Find the complete series on Spotify and YouTube!
Episodes include:
Episode 1: Services for People Who Use Substances
Listen on Spotify | YouTube | Read transcript
In this episode Allyn Hershey and Mandy Owens of the CLEARS Project discuss:
- Different approaches to providing services and treatment for substance use disorder
- Why it’s important to meet people where they are when helping them improve their health
- Different types of care, including medical treatments like inpatient, outpatient, and medication-based treatment
- Community-based services like harm reduction, syringe services programs, and other types of supportive care.
Episode 2: People with Lived Experience 101: The Impact of Stigma, Misconceptions, and “Meeting People Where They Are”
Listen on Spotify | YouTube | Read transcript
In this episode Rob Pitcher and Jenna van Draanen of the CLEARS Project discuss:
- How stigma impacts recovery
- Common misconceptions about substance use disorder and people with experience of drug use
- What it means to “meet people where they are”
- What you can do to help reduce stigma
- Rob’s personal story going through the criminal legal system and what helped him start his recovery.
Episode 3: The Role of Law Enforcement – Questions, Myths, and Answers from Two Retired Cops
Listen on Spotify | YouTube | Read transcript
In this episode, retired law enforcement officers Amy Naylor and Jeff Myers of the CLEARS Project discuss common myths and misconceptions about the criminal legal system.
Through challenging stereotypes, they hope to promote empathy and foster more inclusive approaches to supporting individuals who use drugs within the criminal legal system and our broader society.
