Edwin C. Chapman

Edwin C. Chapman is an American physician and public health advocate based in Washington, D.C.. His practice focuses on internal and addiction medicine. He is known for developing integrated models of care that address substance use disorder alongside primary care and mental health services. His work has been profiled by The Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, and other national outlets for its role in addressing the opioid epidemic in underserved communities. Chapman has testified before Congress, contributed to national health policy discussions, and received honors from professional organizations including the American Medical Association and the National Medical Association.
Early life and education
Chapman was raised in Gary, Indiana, in a civically active household. His father, Joseph C. Chapman Sr., was the first executive director of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and played a role in desegregating local hospitals during the 1940s. Chapman earned his medical degree from the Howard University College of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency and a cardiology fellowship at Freedmen's Hospital and Howard University Hospital (now unified as Howard University Hospital). He is board certified in both internal medicine and addiction medicine and is a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (FASAM).
Academic appointments
Chapman holds an academic appointment as adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry at Howard University. In this role, he lectures on addiction medicine, supervises clinical training, and collaborates with faculty from the university’s College of Medicine and School of Pharmacy to develop integrated care models. These interdisciplinary models are designed to address substance use disorder, mental health conditions, and general medical needs—especially within underserved and historically marginalized populations.
Leadership roles
In addition to his clinical and academic work, Chapman is active in health policy and public service. He serves as an advisor to the National Medical Association, the District of Columbia Department of Health, and Howard University, with a focus on expanding access to addiction treatment and reducing health disparities in African American communities.
Chapman is also the secretary of the board and a founding member of the Leadership Council for Healthy Communities, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit coalition comprising more than 30 faith-based organizations. Through this coalition, he supports the deployment of mobile and virtual care teams that deliver health services directly in churches and community centers, enhancing outreach in communities often disconnected from traditional health systems.
In 2019, Chapman was appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on the Integration of Opioid and Infectious Disease Prevention Efforts, where he contributes to national strategies that bridge addiction treatment with infectious disease care.
Telehealth and innovation
Chapman developed an integrated telemedicine system aimed at expanding access to care for underserved and marginalized populations, including individuals struggling with substance use disorders. His model coordinates a multidisciplinary team—including psychiatry, nutrition, pharmacy counseling, and case management—within a single virtual visit to reduce barriers to treatment and improve continuity of care.
Chapman emphasizes a public health approach to addiction, describing it as a "social determinant of health" that is deeply rooted in poverty, trauma, and systemic inequities. He incorporates the concept of "toxic stress" to explain the long-term effects of chronic adversity on families and communities. His use of telehealth platforms is designed not only to improve clinical outcomes but also to address the structural challenges faced by patients with limited access to in-person services.
His approach gained wider attention during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, when virtual care became a vital tool for continuity of addiction treatment. Chapman has advocated for continued policy reforms to support telehealth parity, flexible prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and expanded broadband infrastructure to ensure equitable digital access across low-income communities.
Congressional testimony
Chapman frequently testifies before federal agencies and Congressional committees on addiction, behavioral health integration, and racial disparities. In March 2022, he testified before the United States House Committee on Ways and Means on the intersection of substance use, structural inequities, and economic opportunity.
In his testimony and public advocacy, Chapman has emphasized that addiction must be understood as a disease shaped by structural racism, chronic poverty, and intergenerational trauma. He argues that untreated substance use disorders are closely tied to systemic inequities in education, housing, employment, and the criminal justice system.
Chapman further advocated for increased federal support for community-based treatment, telehealth expansion, and the integration of behavioral health and primary care to better serve historically underserved populations.
Legacy and impact
Chapman's work has contributed to the transformation of addiction medicine in Washington, D.C., particularly within African American communities disproportionately affected by the opioid crisis. His clinical model has been cited as a blueprint for culturally competent care addiction medicine in urban settings.
* Practitioner of the Year (2016)
* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award - The Gooden Center
Media
* NPR Morning Edition - Dr. Edwin Chapman featured in a segment on the opioid epidemic in Black communities
* The Washington Post - Dr. Chapman profiled for his role combating D.C.’s opioid crisis during COVID-19
* PBS NewsHour - Dr. Chapman discussed overdose deaths among people of color during the pandemic
* Fox News - Dr. Edwin Chapman appeared to sound the alarm on the fentanyl crisis in Black communities
* Pulitzer Center - Dr. Chapman profiled for his advocacy work in Washington, D.C.
* C-SPAN - Dr. Chapman provided congressional testimony on health equity and addiction treatment
* Medication-Assisted Therapies - Dr. Chapman featured in a SAMHSA educational DVD on opioid treatment (2008)
Selected publications
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