BA, Biology, Transylvania University; MPH, Epidemiology and Health Behavior, University of Kentucky; PhD, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University
April Young is an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology in the University of Kentucky College of Public Health and is a faculty associate with the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research. Young has been conducting substance use research in rural Kentucky for nearly 10 years and has led five federally-funded studies, including: a project that piloted innovative methods for recruiting people who use drugs, a private-public partnership to develop software for identifying infectious disease transmission networks, a multi-site project to improve clinical trial design in rural settings, and a cooperative agreement to examine harms associated with substance use in 12 Kentucky counties. In addition to working with rural Appalachian communities to improve their capacity to prevent overdose, HIV, and hepatitis C, she has also conducted research on HIV, sexual risk behavior and vaccine acceptance in a variety of settings.
Young will lead the Community Engagement Team and serve on the Public Health Team to assist in the implementation of overdose prevention activities in syringe service programs. As the lead of the team, she will be responsible for ensuring that 13 local coalitions from across the state are engaged in all aspects of the project. Young will also be responsible for working with project staff and local coalitions to oversee implementation of a comprehensive community workshop series aimed at expanding overdose education, reducing stigma, and removing barriers to recovery in workplace, faith-based, criminal justice and other settings.