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Mitigating the Opioid Epidemic Crisis: An Assessment of Multidisciplinary Public Health Interventions and Substance Use Disorder Curriculum Expansion in Osteopathic Institutions
Full text linkThe opioid epidemic remains a critical public health crisis, with over one million drug overdose deaths reported since 1999. In 2021 alone, more than 80,000 deaths were attributed to opioid overdoses, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl contributing to nearly 88% of these fatalities. This evolving epidemic underscores the urgent need for innovative approaches to address the misuse of opioids, particularly in healthcare settings. This study evaluates a multidisciplinary public health intervention focusing on substance use disorder (“SUD”) curriculum expansion in osteopathic institutions. Designed to bridge knowledge gaps among future healthcare professionals, the intervention included training over 1,200 osteopathic students in opioid overdose management and naloxone administration. Results demonstrated a 75% improvement in participant knowledge regarding opioid-related overdose management, highlighting the effectiveness of curriculum expansion in enhancing clinical preparedness. Feedback from participants indicated that the program’s content, accessibility, and alignment with learning objectives significantly improved their understanding and confidence in managing SUD cases. Additionally, integrating targeted training for future physicians in pain management specialties presents promising potential for long-term public health benefits. While no single intervention can fully resolve the opioid crisis, this study emphasizes the critical role of multidisciplinary strategies in mitigating its impact. Expanding SUD education equips healthcare providers with the tools to address opioid misuse effectively, reduce overdose-related fatalities, and foster nonjudgmental, patient-centered care in vulnerable communities. This approach highlights the value of embedding comprehensive SUD training into medical education to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic
Trading Places: The Intersection of LGBTQ Rights and Zionist Rights Under Federal Civil Rights
Full text linkWhile antidiscrimination laws have a long history at both the federal and state levels, the scope of coverage for these laws has evolved based on nuanced interpretations of terms that previously had established, static meanings. Many antidiscrimination laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of generic categorizations such as sex, religion or ethnicity but such terms are undergoing a rapid change in the way society understands and uses them. For example, sex, which historically has referred to biological gender at birth, now encompasses gender as well as sexual orientation. This article focuses on a recent Supreme Court decision relating to the scope of one federal antidiscrimination law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In Bostock v. Clayton County, the Supreme Court found that the prohibition on discrimination based on sex under Title VII includes prohibitions on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, a decision that dramatically expanded the scope of Title VII. When it comes to religion, the same type of evolution is taking place in antidiscrimination laws. In the case of discrimination against Jews, there has always been a question as to whether antidiscrimination laws apply solely to the practice of Judaism, as a religion, or whether the laws apply to the various ways Jews exist in society, including as a religious and ethnic group seeking self-determination in its historic and modern homeland of Israel (i.e., Zionism). To an overwhelming majority of Jews, there is no way to separate the practice of Judaism from support for Zionism. In the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack on Israel and the subsequent mass protests across the globe, concepts of Zionism and Judaism have become a flashpoint for discrimination. As a result, the question of whether discrimination against Zionism is also discrimination on the basis of religion, national origin or ethnicity is ripe for discussion. This article examines how the principles of Bostock should be applied under federal civil rights laws (Titles VI and VII, in particular) to protect Jews who are Zionists from discrimination on the basis of their Zionist identity
How to Teach a Course on Land Use and Anti-Jewish Discrimination
No full textIn 2022, I was asked to teach a one-week mini-course within a broader course on Structural Barriers and the Pursuit of Equity, a course focusing on various forms of structural discrimination. The course is typically taught by over a dozen professors from various parts of Touro University, each of whom teaches for a week on a different topic. I chose to teach on issues related to land use law (because my scholarship focuses on that area) and in particular how land use law has been used by and against traditionally observant Jews (because that is the religious tradition I am most familiar with). The course is an asynchronous online course, which is a fancy way of saying that instead of coming into the classroom for a week, I created a set of PowerPoints and videos to instruct students. I also created a short quiz on this section of this course, just as other professors created assessments on their mini-courses. The purpose of this paper is primarily to explain the substance of the course: that is, what I chose to teach the students about land use law and Jews. I divided the course into three areas: intentional discrimination against observant Jews, constitutional issues other than intentional discrimination, and issues arising under federal statutes
Dignity, Equality, and the Duty of Assistance
Full text linkJewish law obligates each person to assist and respect his fellow. This includes a wide-range of interpersonal obligations, such as the duty to support the less advantaged, the duty to rescue from danger, and the duty to “love your fellow” and promote his success. In this article, we argue that these interpersonal obligations are rooted in Judaism’s conception of the person as endowed with dignity. This dignity is grounded in the notion of tzelem Elokim, in the metaphysical conception of man created in the divine image (Imago Dei). We argue that this metaphysical basis for human dignity imposes duties upon others and generates claims against them for respect and proper moral regard. Further, we argue that if each person is endowed with divine dignity, then each person enjoys equal moral dignity to his fellow and commands equal respect and concern. We demonstrate that several provisions of Jewish law reflect this sense of basic equality among persons along with a duty of equal moral concern towards others. Finally, we argue that the Jewish obligation of tzedakah is best characterized as a duty to respect the dignity of others. Tzedakah obligates us to restore human dignity (tzelem Elokim) wherever material or social deficiencies diminish it. We argue, on this basis, that tzedakah is not limited to financial support. It includes the social bases of self-respect and inclusion necessary to restore the dignity of personhood
The False Evidence Ploy: A Coercive, Not Just Deceptive, Police Tactic
Full text linkWhy would people confess to a crime they did not commit? It may seem hard to imagine that an innocent person would confess but as this Note will show, false confessions are a real and serious issue. One cause of false confessions is the False Evidence Ploy - a police interrogation tactic where police falsely tell a suspect they have some sort of incriminating evidence against them. This Note argues that the Ploy is psychological coercion, as it may cause innocent suspects to believe they actually committed the crime and then confess. N.Y. Bill S324A presented a solution, banning the police from lying about evidence, regardless of the suspect’s age or mental capacity. This Note contends that the bill should be reintroduced and other states should follow suit to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system
A Brief Look at Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism Through a Perspective of Jewish Law and Tradition
No full textA view of authoritarianism and totalitarianism through a perspective of Jewish law and tradition might take various forms and draw upon different approaches, depending on a number of components, including definitions of terms, modes of analysis, and the scope of disciplines and materials to be incorporated. Rather than attempting to present a comprehensive or determinative presentation of historical and philosophical considerations of these issues, this essay will briefly explore conceptual lessons from narrative, political, and legal sources of Jewish tradition, suggesting that Jewish thought recognizes, at once, both the importance of unity and authority and the dangers of authoritarianism and totalitarianism. As such, these sources provide fertile ground for further analysis that might facilitate more direct applications, and offer a general framework for arriving at answers to specific questions revolving around these issues, as they arise within a particular setting or scenario
Command and Consequence: Reassessing King David’s Military Decisions in the Uriah Affair – A Legal and Ethical Analysis in the Context of Modern Legal Theory
Full text linkThis study critically reevaluates King David\u27s command in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 to place Uriah the Hittite in the battle\u27s frontlines, resulting in his death, through the contemporary lens of military law and ethics. By juxtaposing the ancient narrative with modern legal doctrines, it investigates the complexities of command responsibility and the intersection of personal motives in military orders. Focusing on the interplay between David\u27s personal entanglements with Bathsheba and his official capacity as a military leader, the analysis navigates the ethical quandaries and legal ramifications of his decisions. This piece methodically dissects the Biblical text and contemporaneous legal principles, revealing a multifaceted perspective on military command, liability, and the moral burdens of leadership. The core argument posits a nuanced understanding of David\u27s command, balancing the exigencies of military necessity against the backdrop of personal motivations. It further extends the discussion to the modern context, drawing parallels with current military leadership challenges and the imperative of ethical decision-making. In conclusion, the article underscores the perpetual relevance of these ancient dilemmas, offering insights into the ethical and legal underpinnings of military leadership across eras. This work not only contributes to the discourse in Biblical legal studies but also enriches the broader understanding of law, religion, and ethics in the context of military command