Our Impact
Since our launch in September 2021, we have worked to improve journalism focused on addiction by working with and training four key groups:
Learn more about our impact below.
Professional Newsrooms
We provide newsroom level trainings that discuss the latest in addiction science, how stigma can unintentionally appear in our reporting, and how to use our resources to improve your stories. We also work with journalists one-on-one to source their stories, discuss narrative focus before reporting and review language for potential harm.
Below are examples of some of the stories we’ve helped journalists and newsrooms craft.
Student-led Newsrooms
Appalachian State University
Ohio University
New York University
Slippery Rock University
West Virginia University
Much like professional newsrooms, we are working to train the journalists of the future who are cutting their teeth in student-led newsrooms on college and university campuses. Below are examples of some of the stories we’ve helped student journalists and newsrooms craft and additional student newsrooms we’ve trained.
Journalism Educators
“The workshop was a great reminder that issues like addiction are always complex and non-binary. There's not one or two narratives but lots of narratives with lots of nuance. And that there's a traumatized person, their family, their communities attached to every story. They deserve understanding, empathy and respect from journalists as we try to build the larger understanding in our communities.”
- Susan Zake, Professor, Kent State University
“The discussion with colleagues was great. Perhaps things were discussed I was already thinking about, but oftentimes they talked about things that I didn't immediately consider.”
- Tricia Fulks Kelley, Assistant Professor, Eastern Kentucky University
In addition to training students in newsrooms, we are working with university professors in journalism schools across the country to integrate the latest in addiction science and journalistic ethics around this topic into their classrooms. Below are the universities where professors are teaching our curriculum
Expert Training
“This is a very valuable session and so important as we move forward toward eliminating stigma. All the speakers were so well prepared and provided great information for educating local media outlets and others about how to speak about addiction in a public forum. So great!”
- Anonymous review, AATOD 2022 presentation
Building bridges between experts who have both lived and trained experience in addiction and journalists is key to getting accurate information into the news. We do this by providing training to help them embrace their expertise. Below are organizations we have trained or conferences through which our training has been offered.
