This Veterans Day, OPI honors the courage, service, and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. We also recognize that for too many, some of the hardest aspects of service begin after the uniform comes off.
As you may know, Veterans are disproportionately affected by chronic pain, trauma, and addiction and are significantly overrepresented among Americans experiencing homelessness. These challenges are not a reflection of character; they are a reflection of unmet needs and systems that too often fall short.
At OPI, we stand with the veteran community by advocating for solutions that work: expanding access to evidence-based treatment, harm reduction, housing support, and recovery services. And we demand accountability from the systems meant to serve those who served us. So-called solutions like involuntary treatment or “clearing homeless encampments” aren’t just ineffective, they actively attack veterans and deepen the crises they face. We reject these false fixes. Instead, we work must work to build systems of care that meet people where they are with dignity.
Practically for OPI, this has meant working to understand and remove barriers veterans face when seeking addiction treatment. In April, we published our first reports about gaps veterans face when navigating SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov. Today, many problems remain with this resource...and we continue to work to see them properly repaired. A special thank you to Senator Slotkin's office and the US Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs team for working together on this.
Today, we honor veterans with more than gratitude. We honor them with action and a commitment to their health and happiness.
Thank you for your service.
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Jonathan JK Stoltman (PhD)
Jonathan JK Stoltman (PhD)
Why Trust Us?
Tony Peterson, MPH
Antonella “Tony” earned her Bachelor of Science in 2021 from the United States Military Academy at West Point and earned her Master of Public Health at Yale University, where her training focuses on health informatics, health policy, and program evaluation. She brings hands-on experience working in complex, high-stakes systems where accountability, evidence, and real-world constraints shape decision-making. Tony has worked on opioid settlement analysis and policy with the Opioid Policy Institute since Fall 2025, with a focus on transparency, evidence-based decision-making, and practical guidance for communities responsible for stewarding settlement funds.
Jonathan Stoltman, PhD
Jonathan has worked as a researcher and advocate focusing on opioid addiction treatment and recovery since 2013. He completed his PhD in Lifespan Developmental Psychology from West Virginia University in 2019. Jonathan’s academic work has appeared in leading journals, conferences, and media outlets. He has been working on opioid settlement-related topics since 2020.
Why You Can Trust OPI
The Opioid Policy Institute exists to help communities improve their response to opioid-related death and disease. We provide evidence-based research and analysis that translates complex legal guidance and public health research into practical, usable insights. Our focus is on transparency, accountability, and community healing by increasing access to evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery supports.
OPI’s analysis reflects a collaborative, team-based approach. We blend real-world and academic experience to help ensure our work is methodologically sound, grounded in evidence, and attentive to real-world implementation challenges. We focus on asking the right questions, surfacing tradeoffs, and helping communities build robust responses to addiction.
Opioid Policy Institute by Jonathan JK Stoltman, PhD is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
