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Grief, Loss, and the Gaps in Support Across Public Health

by April Shaw and Ashleigh Dennis

Overview

This special audio release for Mental Health Awareness Month explores the human impact of gaps in support across public health. Grounded in lived experience, the conversation surfaces how grief and the loss of a loved one to overdose are too often met with stigma and fragmented care. The discussion underscores that grief is not only an individual experience but also a broader public health concern, calling for greater attention and alternative forms of care.

Content warning: This discussion includes sensitive topics around grief, loss, and substance use.

This discussion:

  • Explores why grief, loss, and trauma are public health issues, not just private struggles
  • Considers the role of stigma, shame, and guilt in navigating loss of a loved one to substance use disorder and substance use
  • Identifies gaps in support for people navigating loss and grief

Participants: 

  • April Shaw, J.D., Ph.D., Deputy Director, Network for Public Health Law—Health Equity
  • Ashleigh Dennis, J.D., Staff Attorney, Network for Public Health Law—Harm Reduction Legal Project