Substance Use – Public Science Collaborative

Monitoring What Matters: Recovery Capital Measurement

This quick read provides an overview of instruments for measuring and monitoring recovery capital. Recovery capital refers to the support systems and resources that enable individuals to initiate and sustain recovery from substance use. Recovery capital is unique to each individual, shaped by personal history, community context, and the stage of one’s recovery journey. Measuring …

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Understanding Recovery Capital: A Holistic Framework for Sustaining Recovery

This quick read provides an introduction of recovery capital. Recovery from substance use is often supported by multiple forms of care, connection, and resources, particularly during the early stages of initiating recovery. At the same time, recovery is more than the absence of substance use. It encompasses psychological well-being, physical health, social relationships, economic stability, …

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Safer Futures: Preventing Underage Drinking in Iowa

The Public Science Collaborative (PSC) partnered with Council Bluffs, Sioux City, and Waterloo to develop interactive dashboards of the alcohol risk environment in each community. The dashboards were developed as part of PSC’s participatory substance use surveillance monitoring program and are designed to serve as a resource to support data-informed decision-making aimed at reducing underage …

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Safer Futures: Monitoring Opioid and Stimulant Harms in Rural Places

This quick read highlights community-based opioid monitoring systems the Public Science Collaborative developed as part of their participatory substance use surveillance monitoring program. These systems focus on the reduction of opioid-related harms and were launched in Lee, Jones, Jackson, and Dubuque counties.

Lee County Substance Use Monitoring System

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use monitoring work, this dashboard helps visualize the landscape of substance use in Lee County by supporting stakeholders in designing data-driven interventions to improve community health and safety—especially by reducing opioid overdoses and related harms. This system includes in-depth insights, a data map of substance use retailers …

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Screen capture of substance use monitoring system dashboard

Jackson, Jones, and Dubuque County Substance Use Monitoring System

Jackson, Jones, and Dubuque County Substance Use Monitoring System Explore the Dashboard As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use monitoring work, this dashboard helps visualize the landscape of substance use in Jackson, Jones, and Dubuque by supporting stakeholders in designing data-driven interventions to improve community health and safety.

Iowa Alcohol Insights Platform

The Iowa Alcohol Insights Platform contains information about alcohol establishments, school locations, and alcohol-related car crashes in Iowa. Iowa communities can use this map to see if they have alcohol risk factors such as clusters of establishments or OWI car crashes. Community leaders and action groups can also assess the proximity of alcohol establishments to …

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Barton County substance use monitoring system screen capture

Barton County’s Substance Use Monitoring System

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use monitoring work, this dashboard helps visualize the landscape of substance use in Barton County, Kansas by supporting stakeholders in designing data-driven interventions to improve community health and safety.

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Iowa’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Platform

The Public Science Collaborative conducted background research, prototyping, user listening sessions, and system design to prepare Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services for building the statewide Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Platform. The dashboards on the state’s platform display information on substance use disorder treatment admissions, substance involved deaths, and hospitalizations and emergency department …

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Designing a Cerro Gordo County Alcohol Surveillance System

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s Alcohol Research Initiative, PSC partnered with Cerro Gordo County to strategize the design of an alcohol surveillance system. PSC worked with the county to identify community strengths, pressing problems, questions to guide action, and understand health and safety data needs.

Focus Area: Substance Use