Drug Overdose Deaths Drop in LA But Not in Black, Latino, Low Income Communities – County Focus on Disparities

Was Live Thursday, March 12, 2026 | 11am PST

Guest Speakers

• Shoshanna Scholar, Director, Harm Reduction Division, Los Angeles Department of Health Services
• Aurora Morales, Associate Director of Community Initiatives, Homeless Health Care Los Angeles (HHCLA)
• Brian Hurley MD, MBA, FAPA, DFASAM, Medical Director, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control County of Los Angeles, Dept of Public Health (DPH)
• Kelvin Driscoll, PhD, MSW, MPA, Director, Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System (HOPICS)

Related Coverage

• Empathy, Not Stigma Has Helped Lower Addiction, Overdose Deaths in LA

Event Overview

Drug overdose deaths continue to drop dramatically in LA County (and nationwide) thanks to expanded investments in prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. But OD death rates remain disproportionately highest in Black, Latino, indigenous and low income communities. Speakers will discuss strategies that have led to historic declines, and new interventions the County is pursuing to address the disparities.

Presented by ACoM

Cover Image Credit: Canva Photos