Safer Solutions

Chelsea Boyd and Jessica Shortall are the lead authors of the Safer Solutions newsletter. Every two weeks, they explain a complex health policy topic in about 800 words using easy-to-understand language. Safer Solutions covers community health topics including behavioral health, substance use, and family well-being.

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Newsletters, Real Solutions Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Safer Solutions, Substance Regulation, Tobacco Harm Reduction

Safer Solutions: Goldilocks Regulation – Getting Substance Regulation ‘Just Right’

Jessica Shortall, Chelsea Boyd March 4, 2026

Newsletters Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions

Safer Solutions: What happens when a person misses a methadone dose?

Jessica Shortall, Chelsea Boyd Feb 18, 2026

Newsletters Behavioral Health, Cannabis, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Psychedelics, Safer Solutions, Substance Regulation

Safer Solutions: How Designating Substances as Schedule I Harms Research

Chelsea Boyd, Jessica Shortall Feb 4, 2026

Newsletters Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions, Substance Regulation, Tobacco Harm Reduction

Safer Solutions: Natural vs. Synthetic Substances Part II—Regulation Improves Safety

Chelsea Boyd, Jessica Shortall Jan 21, 2026

Newsletters Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions, Substance Regulation, Tobacco Harm Reduction

Safer Solutions: Natural vs. Synthetic Substances Part I—Are Synthetic Substances Inherently Bad?

Chelsea Boyd, Jessica Shortall Jan 7, 2026

Newsletters Behavioral Health, Federal Government Affairs, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions

Safer Solutions: What does competition have to do with methadone access?

Jessica Shortall, Chelsea Boyd Dec 12, 2025

Real Solutions Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Safer Solutions, Substance Regulation, Tobacco Harm Reduction

Safer Solutions: When will the facts about tobacco harm reduction trickle down to veterans?

Jessica Shortall, Chelsea Boyd Nov 6, 2025

Newsletters, Real Solutions Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions

Safer Solutions: Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Doesn’t Swap One Drug for Another

Chelsea Boyd, Jessica Shortall Oct 31, 2025

Newsletters, Real Solutions Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions, Substance Regulation, Tobacco Harm Reduction

Safer Solutions: Is Prohibition the Solution to the Complexity of Substance Use?

Chelsea Boyd, Jessica Shortall Oct 17, 2025

Newsletters, Real Solutions Behavioral Health, Harm Reduction, Healthier Communities, Opioid Harm Reduction, Safer Solutions

Safer Solutions: Bipartisan SUPPORT in Congress?

Chelsea Boyd, Jessica Shortall Oct 3, 2025