Pictured from left to right are ORS partners and staff including NY PHA Lisa Worden, NY DIO Jim Hawley, ORS Technical Advisor Nava Bastola, HIDTA Deputy National Coordinator Chris Jakim and NY/NJ HIDTA Director Chauncey Parker, National Police Lt. Sonthor Prum (Cambodia), National Authority for Combatting Drugs Deputy Director Chumnith Meas (Cambodia), Ministry of Interior Captain Ali Majid Al-Jaberi (Iraq), Anti-Narcotics Department Lt. Col. Mu’ath Al-Dwaikat (Jordan), Anti-Narcotics Department Major Yazan Abu Alghanam (Jordan) and Hak-Qazar Public Foundation Chairman Nurzhan Zhakupov (Kazakhstan).

In 2025, the New York Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) team in partnership with ORS leadership played a central role in an international learning exchange that brought together 17 senior law enforcement and drug policy leaders from nine countries to explore coordinated approaches to overdose prevention. Syracuse University’s Department of Public Health hosted the U.S. Department of State sponsored Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program to Combat Illicit Drug Trafficking, the initiative aligned seamlessly with the ORS mission to strengthen collaboration between public health and public safety. The NY ORS team and ORS staff led a full day of sessions during the Executive Academic Seminar, sharing the ORS framework and highlighting initiatives such as the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP), Domestic Highway Enforcement and the Rochester Police Department’s Leave-Behind Naloxone model. The day also included a presentation from an ORS partner who is an addiction medicine expert; the expert led a discussion on the physiology of addiction and a recovery-oriented system of care. The Distinguished Humphrey Fellows engaged deeply throughout the day and received guidance on policy development, adaptations for their home countries and approaches to integrating public health strategies within enforcement systems.

Building on the Executive Education Week discussions, the exchange continued with an immersive site visit to the NY/NJ HIDTA, where fellows observed meetings to coordinate gun violence prevention and response efforts, learned from cross-sector response teams and engaged with over 15 programs addressing drug trafficking, overdose prevention, community outreach and data-driven enforcement. Fellows expressed renewed commitment to building trust with communities, advancing compassionate response strategies and adopting data-informed strategies in their own countries. Reflecting the emphasis on compassion and cross-sector collaboration, one fellow noted, “It was an inspiring visit… What really touched me wasn’t just the knowledge that was shared, but the passion behind it. Every speaker had a story that reflected true dedication, sacrifice and deep care. Seeing agencies work hand in hand was incredibly powerful and gave me real hope. I will take what I’ve learned, share it in my country, and work to put it into action.” The NY ORS team and partners also gained valuable insight from the global perspectives of the fellows, reinforcing that sustainable progress depends on collaboration, compassion and measurable outcomes. By uniting international partners, the New York ORS team and ORS leadership strengthened cross-border relationships and demonstrated how the ORS model can inform global efforts to build coordinated, data-driven overdose prevention and response while bridging public safety and public health.