As Deputy Director for Policy, Erin Artigiani educates policymakers and the public about current trends in poly substance use. She supports the use of non-stigmatizing language and works with local collaborators and advocates to use research to inform programs and policies that include a leading role for people with lived experience. A sociologist, she has nearly three decades of experience in interdisciplinary substance use research and policy development. An experienced presenter, she is regularly invited to participate in panels and make presentations at conferences and interagency workshops.

She is currently Co-Investigator on the ONDCP-funded National Emergency Department Drug Surveillance (EDDS) program and the NIH/NIDA funded PERC project (ARTEMIS) to establish a patient engagement resource center. She is PI for a multi-year DOL-funded recovery-to-work internship program in Western Maryland, Mountain Maryland Forward, and the multi-site evaluation of local law enforcement diversion (COAP) programs in Maryland. She guided the launch of the Maryland Peer Bridge (Co-PI) to provide resources and support for peer recovery specialists and is currently exploring future funding opportunities to support peer work. She also manages dissemination efforts for CESAR projects through resources such as the CESAResearch Network, regularly prepares reports and other products, develops collaborations with federal state and local agencies and organizations, plans and conducts webinars, writes grant proposals, manages contracts and subawards, and organizes and facilitates meetings with stakeholders and policymakers.

For 6 years, she was Co-Investigator for the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) funded by the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). For two years, she worked with CESAR staff to develop and launch Maryland EDDS, the first statewide system for monitoring trends in drug exposures in ED patients. For 14 years, she and the Founding Director of CESAR represented Maryland and Washington, DC, on NIDA’s predecessor to NDEWS, the national Community Epidemiology Workgroup (CEWG). She has also collaborated on the Maryland Rural Opioid Technical Assistance project as Project Co-Director and managed a number of epidemiological workgroups and prevention strategy evaluations for Maryland and Washington, DC, including as a part of the SAMHSA funded Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and the Opioid Misuse Prevention Program (OMPP). Other former projects include serving as Co-Investigator on the Community Drug Early Warning System/Drug Early Warning Signals project, working with Bowie State University as an evaluator for their substance abuse and HIV prevention strategies, and working closely with HIDTA programs across the U.S. on the development of their Performance Measurement Program and national annual reports.

She received her Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology & Psychology from Wellesley College.

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

Robinson, E., Stewart, K., Artigiani, E., Hsu, M., Billing, A.S., Massey, E., Gona, S.R., and Wish, E.D. Spatial patterns of rural opioid-related hospital emergency department visits: A machine learning analysis. Health & Place (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103365.

Kozak, Z; Ciccarone, D; Thrul, J.; Cole, T.; Psppas, A; Greenblatt, A.; Welsh, C.; Yoon, M.; Gann, D.; Artigiani, E; Wish, E.; Belcher, A. Harm reduction behaviors are associated with carrying naloxone among patients on methadone treatment. Harm Reduction Journal (February, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00745-6

Schwartz, B.E., Dezman, Z., Billing, A.S., Heine, K., Massey, E., Artigiani, E.E., Motavalli, M., Burch, G., Gandhi, P., and Wish, E. Emergency Department Drug Surveillance (EDDS) Hospital’s Urinalysis Results Compared with Expanded Re-testing by an Independent Laboratory, A Pilot Study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 230, (2021).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109195

Wish, E.D., Billing, A.S., Heine, K., Al-Nassir, M.F., Massey, E.C., Hsu, M., and Artigiani, E.E. Toward a national system of expanded testing of existing urine specimens: The Drug Outbreak Testing Service (DOTS). Substance Use and Misuse, 56, no. 11 (2021): 1576-1585. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2021.1928213.

Lopez, A.M., Dhatt, Z., Howe, M., Al-Nassir, M., Billing, A., Artigiani, E., and Wish, E.D. Co-Use of methamphetamine and opioids among people in treatment in Oregon: A qualitative examination of interrelated structural, community, and individual-level factors. International Journal of Drug Policy, 91, (2021). doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.103098

Artigiani, Eleanor Erin; Wish, Eric D. Introducing the National Drug Early Warning System. Current Opinion in Psychiatry: July 2020 - Volume 33 - Issue 4 - p 319-325 doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000610. Retrieved from: https://journals.lww.com/co-psychiatry/Abstract/2020/07000/Introducing_the_National_Drug_Early_Warning_System.6.aspx

Dezman, Z., Schwartz, B.E., Billing, A.S., Massey, E.C., Artigiani, E.E., Factor, J.A., Wish, E.D. (2020). Notes from the field: High prevalence of fentanyl detected by the Maryland Emergency Department Drug Surveillance System – Baltimore, Maryland, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 69, no. 23:724-726. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6923a3

Adams, N., Artigiani, E.E. & Wish, E.D. (2019). Choosing your platform for social media drug research and improving your keyword filter list. Journal of Drug Issues, 49(3), 477-492. 

Cao, Y., Stewart, K., Wish, E., Artigiani, E., and Sorg, M. Determining spatial access to opioid use disorder treatment and emergency medical services in New Hampshire. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 101, (2019): 55-56.

Other Articles/Reports

Wish, E.D.; Artigiani, E.E.; Billing, A.S.; Massey, E.; Hsu. M. (July 2024).MD-EDDS BULLETIN: Xylazine Detected in Hospital Patients Across Maryland. University of Maryland CESAR. Retrieved from: https://cesar.umd.edu/publicationprofile/378.

Wish, E.D.; Artigiani, E.E.; Billing, A.S.; Massey, E.; Hsu. M. (July 2024). MD-EDDS BULLETIN: Josh Siems Act in Action: MD-EDDS Finds 23-81% of Overdose Patients in 16 Hospitals Across Maryland Tested Positive for Fentanyl. University of Maryland CESAR. Retrieved from: https://cesar.umd.edu/publicationprofile/377.

Wish, E.D.; Billing,A.; Artigiani, E.E. To Treat Overdose Patients Now, Hospitals Must Test for More Kinds of Drugs. Scientific American. November 15, 2023. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-treat-overdose-patients-now-hospitals-must-test-for-more-kinds-of-drugs/.

Wish, E.D.; Artigiani, E.E.; Billing, A.S.; Massey, E.; Hsu. M. (Dec. 2023). MD-EDDS BULLETIN: Xylazine Detected in 8% of Positive Specimens from Meritus Medical Center, Near Hagerstown, All of Them also Contained Fentanyl. University of Maryland CESAR. Retrieved from: https://cesar.umd.edu/publicationprofile/371.

Bersani, B.; Kozerra, M.; Porter, L; Artigiani, E. Maryland’s Behavioral Health and Public Safety Center of Excellence: Strategic Plan. (September 2023). University of Maryland, College Park: Maryland Crime Research and Innovation Center. https://bsos.umd.edu/sites/bsos.umd.edu/files/EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_BH_PS_CoE.pdf.

Wish, Eric D.; Billing, Amy; Artigiani, Eleanor Erin. Using Hospitals Urinalysis Results to Track the Drug Epidemic. Public Health Post. February 25, 2022. https://www.publichealthpost.org/research/hospital-urinalysis/

Artigiani, E.E., Hsu, M.H., McCandlish, D., and Wish, E.D. (2018). Methamphetamine: A regional drug crisis. College Park, MD: National Drug Early Warning System.

Artigiani, E.E. & Wish, E.D. (2014). Patterns and Trends of Drug Abuse in Baltimore/Maryland/ Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Epidemiologic Trends in Drug Abuse - Volume II: Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Workgroup. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse. (Also 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013).

Center for Substance Abuse Research. (2009-2011). DC Youth in Briefs Vols. 1 & 2. University of Maryland, College Park: Center for Substance Abuse Research.

Center for Substance Abuse Research. (2010). Social Indicators Profiles: Wards 1-8. University of Maryland, College Park: Center for Substance Abuse Research.

The Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration, DC Department of Health & the Center for Substance Abuse Research. (2009). Youth and Drugs: The Case for Focused Prevention Programs in the Nation’s Capital. University of Maryland, College Park: Center for Substance Abuse Research. (Also 2010 Update)

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration and the Center for Substance Abuse Research. (2009). Maryland Epidemiological Profile: Consequences of Illicit Drug Use, Alcohol Abuse, and Smoking. University of Maryland, College Park: Center for Substance Abuse Research. (Also, 2008, 2007)

Artigiani, E. Erin. (2009). “Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.” Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior: 3^rd Edition Vol. 3. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning.

Artigiani, E. Erin. (2009). “Education and Prevention.” Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior: 3^rd Edition Vol. 3. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning.

Artigiani, E. Erin. (2009). “Agencies in Drug Law Enforcement and Supply Control.” Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior: 3^rd Edition Vol. 4. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning.

Romach, Myroslava, and Karen Parker. Revised by Erin Artigiani. (2009). “Driving Under the Influence.” Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior: 3^rd Edition Vol. 2. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning.

HIDTA Director’s Association (2007). High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program: 2006 Annual Report. College Park: Washington/Baltimore HIDTA. (Also 2004 and 2005 Annual Reports)

Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (June 2007). Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area: 2006 Annual Report. College Park: Washington/Baltimore HIDTA. (Also 2005 Annual Report)

Rinehart, C., Artigiani, E., and Wish, E.D. (May, 2006). DEWS Investigates: Who is Entering Treatment for Narcotic Pain Relievers in Maryland? College Park: University of Maryland, Center for Substance Abuse Research. Nine DEWS Investigates were published 2004-2006.

Center for Substance Abuse Research (2003). Drugs in Maryland: 2003 Update. College Park: University of Maryland, Center for Substance Abuse Research. Co-Author.

Artigiani, E.E. (2001). Maryland Research in Brief: HotSpot Communities Initiative Phase I. College Park: University of Maryland, Center for Substance Abuse Research.

Artigiani, E.E. (1999). Can Community Design Turn Criminal “HotSpots” Into Neighborhoods? Paper presented at the annual meeting, International Society for the Systems Sciences, Assilomar, California, Summer 1999.

Cabinet Council on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. (1998). Maryland Crime Control And Prevention Strategy. Annapolis, Maryland.

Artigiani, E.E. (1996). Revitalizing Baltimore’s Neighborhoods: The Community Association’s Guide to Civil Legal Remedies. Baltimore, Maryland: Community Law Center.