Substance use and misuse; opioid overdose, suicide, mental health; harm reduction; social network influences.
Sarah Cercone Heavey, PhD, MPH is the Director of MPH programs and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions. Dr. Heavey is a substance use and mental health researcher. Currently, her work focuses on opioid overdose, including issues related to naloxone access as well as intentionality in opioid overdose. She completed a NIMH-funded T32 fellowship at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center. Prior to this, she received her MPH and PhD in Community Health and Health Behavior at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Heavey has worked in public health for many years, as a researcher and educator, as well as in health promotion and community lead poisoning prevention. In addition, between her MPH and PhD, Dr. Heavey completed a fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health, in Atlanta, GA.