From the Front Lines of the Appalachian Addiction Crisis

Stories from doctors, nurses, and therapists dealing on a daily basis with the opioid crisis in Appalachia should be heartbreaking. Yet those told here also inspire with practical advice on how to assist those in addiction, from a grass-roots to a policy level. Readers looking for ways to combat the crisis will find suggestions alongside laughter, tears, and sometimes rage. Each author brings the passion of their profession and the personal losses they have experienced from addiction, and posits solutions and harm reduction with positivity, grace, and even humor. Authors representing seven states from northern, Coalfields, and southern Appalachia relate personal encounters with patients or providers who changed them forever. This is a history document, showing how we got here; an evidenced indictment of current policies failing those who need them most; an affirmation that Appalachia solves its own problems; and a collection of suggestions for best practice moving forward.

From the Front Lines of the Appalachian Addiction Crisis is an insightful first-hand look inside our nation's struggle to address the terrible crisis impacting our small towns and rural communities. It posits innovative policies and solutions, provided in the context of real world heartbreaking examples. This is a true insider's perspective, providing a blueprint forward for practitioners, community leaders, and policymakers alike." —Alan Morgan, CEO of The National Rural Health Association"From the Front Lines of the Appalachian Addiction Crisis is vital to understanding this country's opioid crisis. It is an important collection for explaining what's happening, and how some of our best hearts and minds are processing the collective trauma of the painkiller epidemic. By focusing on the reflections of health care providers and their direct experience on the front lines of the crisis, these essays shine warm light on how substance use has affected both patients and caregivers. From the Front Lines is the best kind of storytelling history—personal, analytic, immediate, and increasing in value as we move farther from the era described." — Robert Gipe, author of Weedeater and Trampoline

Wendy Welch is the author or editor of six books and the executive director of the Graduate Medical Education Consortium of Southwest Virginia where she advocates for social justice and policy planning in equal measure. She lives in Wytheville, Virginia.