Episode 135 Janet Miller - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

This week's episode is all about communication and collaboration. We look at one of our community's best examples of how to tackle some of our most complex issues - the way that CADA and numerous others are working together to reform the local crisis response system. You can find my full discussion with Janet Miller here.

 

Here are the questions I asked:

 

0:36 1. In March of 2024, you were named the new executive director of the Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse (or CADA as most people know it).

 

Prior to CADA you worked for 25 years at the Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling, 10 of those as the director.

 

CADA has been serving our community since 1958. In a little while, I want to talk about the CADA Mobile Response Team and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that you signed in November with the Shreveport Police Department as you work to reform the local crisis response system.

 

But let’s start just with some foundational knowledge. I know from preparing for today’s discussion and taking in all the information on your website that CADA offers a number of different programs. Talk to me about 2-3 of your key substance abuse services and programs.

 

3:38 2. Louisiana is one of the top ten states in the nation for opioid-related deaths. One in ten high school students admits to regularly using prescription opioids for non-medical purposes. More than 225,000 Louisiana residents admit to regular heavy drinking and around 6% of the Louisiana population abuses alcohol.

 

One of the major new initiatives CADA has implemented since your arrival has been its new Mobile Response Team. Tell me what this is and why it is such an important new addition to the services that CADA provides.

 

12:10 3. According to LSU Health Shreveport, in 2023 there were 299,939 emergency 911 calls in Caddo Parish. Each of these calls required a law enforcement or emergency medical services response. Many of these calls, however, did not involve criminal behavior or medical needs, placing a disproportionate burden on first responders.

 

Talk to me about this MOU that you signed with the Shreveport Police Department and how it will significantly improve our ability as a community to provide crisis response.

 

20:00 4. People in our community generally understand that we have a shortage of police officers and that jails are overcrowded. What a lot of people don’t know is that our emergency rooms are overcrowded too. As far as you know, is that accurate and talk to me about how the reforms CADA is part of making to our crisis response system will help relieve some of the burden our emergency rooms are facing?

 

29:33 5. What are CADA’s greatest challenges today and for those in our community listening, how can they best help you achieve your mission?