Health and Harm Reduction: Rethinking Conventional Drug Use and Policy | Jeffrey Hom | TEDxUSciences

Jeffrey, a policy advisor for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, is an advocate and force between safe injection sites in Philadelphia, one of the first in the nation. Through his talk, Jeffrey suggests a controversial solution to the opioid crisis that’s as simple as changing attitudes. Jeffrey Hom is a policy advisor in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, where he provides guidance to the Health Commissioner on programs and policies related to the wellbeing of all Philadelphians. His present focus is on substance use, in particular issues around access to treatment and overdose prevention. He is also a board-certified internist and cares for patients at the Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia. Jeff has contributed to health care and public health efforts in San Francisco, Boston, and Shiprock, New Mexico, as well as internationally in Lesotho and Cambodia, all of which have deepened his desire to improve community well-being, pursue health equity and advance social justice. For his efforts he was selected as a Zuckerman Fellow at Harvard's Center for Public Leadership and received a 2016 Presidential Scholarship for AcademyHealth's Institute on Advocacy and Public Policy. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx