Emerging Drug Trends: The Impact of Overdoses and Testing Challenges
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SESSION INFO

Saturday, June 29, 2024
3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
Session Type: Workshop
Emerging drug trends have become an operational and policy challenge for the testing and treatment approaches in probation departments and treatment courts. This presentation will provide you with a look at recent drug trends including fentanyl, methamphetamines, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), synthetic and over-the-counter drugs along with street drugs. These are all contributing to historic overdoses and deaths. We will discuss the testing challenges departments encounter with these emerging trends.

SESSION PRESENTERS
Tonya Mitchell
Laboratory Director, Averhealth


Dr. Tonya Mitchell, PhD has over 25 years of experience in both forensic and clinical toxicology. The first nine years were spent in the state crime lab in South Carolina, after which she worked in several clinical toxicology labs. In recent years, she was Chief Toxicologist for the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner in Phoenix and the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Dr. Mitchell brings her experience to Averhealth to support the outstanding lab staff with laboratory accreditation and quality management. Dr. Mitchell earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of South Carolina and has a BS in Biochemistry from Auburn University.

Nick Runge
Director of Operations, Averhealth


With an eclectic background in retail, accounting, and operations, Nick Runge serves as the Vice President of Operations for Averhealth where he is passionate about solving the drug testing challenges faced by the criminal justice community, and especially the treatment court teams. He began with Averhealth in 2012 as an area manager for Missouri, and now directs a nationwide team of area and regional managers for Averhealth. Nick has a knack for managing large teams of people and moving up quickly in organizations where he’s worked. A native of St. Louis, he has lived all over Europe and has traveled all around the U.S. When he’s not out riding his Harley, Nick enjoys doing home improvement projects.