The Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board (DPRAB) is a statewide, transdisciplinary group of people who guide the research of the Harm Reduction Research Lab. It was created in 2020 by Dr. Beth Meyerson, Chris Abert, Nick Voyles, Nick Stavros and Dr. Danielle Russell to study the impact of temporary federal policy change on Arizona buprenorphine and methadone provider behavior and patient experiences of the changes. It soon became apparent that the DPRAB should engage actively in the research direction of the lab and fully participate in research implementation. Members bring a variety of intersectional experiences to the table:
- Buprenorphine and Methadone treatment
- People on MOUD (Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, or methadone and buprenorphine)
- People with lived/living drug use experience
- Policy Partners
- Funders (govt/nongovt)
- Harm Reduction organizations
- Harm Reduction Research Lab researchers
The DPRAB is co-chaired by Arlene Mahoney and Dr. Christina Arredondo. Arlene is a trained social worker who is faculty of the Harm Reduction Research Lab, and also the Executive Director of the Southwest Recovery Alliance. Dr. Arredondo is a trained psychiatrist and is the Medical Director of Behavioral Health for El Rio Community Health Center.
The DPRAB generates policy and systems change recommendations for Arizona and beyond based on findings emerging from Harm Reduction Research Lab studies. Because the DPRAB is engaged in Community Based Participatory Action Research, their focus is also on building community capacity to engage in research, enact and lead change. Members have presented research findings at several national and international conferences, co-authored several papers relaying research conducted with the lab, and communicated with state and federal policy makers about changes that must occur to reduce opioid overdose deaths and bloodborne illnesses.
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