Aaron Hunt, PhD

Biography

Dr. Aaron Hunt is an Assistant Professor and the Master of Public Health Program Coordinator in the Department of Allied and Population Health at South Dakota State University. He earned his PhD in Public Health with an emphasis in global and environmental health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His current work is focused on reducing the impact of the opioid epidemic in rural communities through increasing access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services. This includes working to reduce stigma associated with substance use and mental health. This work is completed through the HRSA funded START-SD Program in rural eastern South Dakota. He is also passionate about improving maternal and child health through the work of the North and South Dakota Perinatal Quality Collaborative. He is the president of the South Dakota Public Health Association which advocates for programs and policies to improve public health, address social determinants of health, and reduce health disparities with the goal of promoting health equity for all populations.

Dr. Hunt will discuss the key activities utilized to increase use of prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural South Dakota, through the START-SD (Stigma, Treatment, Avoidance and Recovery in Time) program. He will explain the innovative model, which incorporates addressing social determinants of health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to improve outcomes.