SJDCI Team at 2025 Stop Overdose Summit in Hot Springs

On November 18, 2025, the Smart Justice District Court Initiative (SJDCI) team joined hundreds of Arkansans at the Hot Springs Convention Center for the annual Stop Overdose Summit, hosted by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. The statewide event brought together professionals from every corner of the overdose-prevention landscape—pharmacists, law enforcement officers, judges, attorneys, therapists, physicians, and peer support specialists—all united by a shared mission: saving lives.

The summit opened with an address from Arkansas Drug Director Tom Fisher, who presented the latest “state of the state” data on substance-related deaths. Fisher highlighted a notable and encouraging drop in fentanyl-related fatalities—a win that reflects years of coordinated efforts across agencies, courts, and community partners.

Provisional state figures reinforce this positive trend:

• Overdose deaths in Arkansas dropped by roughly 24% in 2024 compared with the previous year.

• Since late 2022, more than $26 million in opioid-settlement funds have been distributed across Arkansas counties for prevention, naloxone distribution, and recovery support programs.

But the news was far from uniformly positive. Fisher cautioned attendees about emerging and accelerating threats:

• An increase in methamphetamine overdoses

• A massive and unprecedented surge in cocaine trafficking and cocaine-related overdose deaths

For the SJDCI team, this data reinforced the urgency of their work inside district courts every day. Garland County SJDCI Court Coordinator Sarah Stapleton reflected on the summit:

“Attending this year’s Stop Overdose Summit reinforced that overdose prevention happens when we join forces. Collaboration is essential and shows that recovery is real, reachable, and worthy of our effort.”

White County SJDCI Court Coordinator Jaimi Matlock added her perspective:

“Attending the Stop Overdose Conference in Hot Springs was incredibly impactful. Hearing directly from state leaders in recovery services and substance use disorder—along with seeing the data shared by the DEA—really underscored both the challenges we face and the progress we’re making in Arkansas. We have a long road ahead in combating fentanyl and methamphetamine use, but we also have dedicated people across our state who care deeply about meeting the needs of our communities and supporting individuals struggling with substance abuse.”

Among the many breakout opportunities, several held special relevance for SJDCI’s mission to integrate accountability, treatment, and community support.

One session was led by Melissa Capuano, Community Success Manager at Restore Hope, who presented on the 100 Families Initiative, a cross-sector collaboration model that connects justice-involved families with stability resources. Her presentation was complemented by Stapleton, who shared local data demonstrating the effectiveness of the Garland County District Court’s SJDCI implementation.

SJDCI Court Coordinators also participated in an in-depth training on Family Centered Treatment–Recovery (FCT-R). Led by Jon McDuffie, Vice President of Implementation and Development for the Family Centered Treatment Foundation, this session explored Arkansas’s pilot project aimed at addressing the intersections of maternal substance use, trauma, and child welfare.

For the SJDCI team, the 2025 Stop Overdose Summit served as both a reaffirmation of the challenges ahead and a powerful reminder that no single agency can combat overdose deaths alone. The day’s sessions emphasized data-driven collaboration, innovative treatment models, and the importance of court-level interventions in preventing future tragedies.

Nikki Stone, SJDCI Court Coordinator for Johnson and Franklin Counties, reflected on the experience:

“I love getting opportunities to attend events like the STOP Overdose Summit. I’m so thankful for the Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin for providing this for so many years. Being able to connect with partners from across the state, new and continuing, is encouraging and very uplifting. I look forward to coming back year after year!”

Julius Buie, SJDCI Court Coordinator for Pulaski NLR, shared:

“At the Stop Overdose Summit, I was reminded that every life we save is a story still being written, and our collaboration becomes the pen in God’s hand.”

As overdose trends evolve, the SJDCI team returns to their respective counties with a strengthened commitment: keep learning, keep coordinating, and keep pushing forward—because in Arkansas, lives depend on it.