ORS teams play an important role in fostering collaboration among partners. The California (Los Angeles/Riverside) Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) team exemplifies this role by actively listening to the needs of different programs and organizations and identifying partnership opportunities. By connecting resources and organizations, the California (Los Angeles/Riverside) ORS team has consistently helped avoid duplicating efforts and maximize the impact of shared goals amongst their community partners from 2021 to 2024. The following examples highlight how the ORS team connected organizations, facilitated collaboration and ensured valuable resources and expertise were shared to fill gaps and strengthen the impact of overdose prevention initiatives.

End Overdose and Bell Gardens Police Department Naloxone Training Community Event
Since 2022, the California (Los Angeles/Riverside) ORS team has worked closely with End Overdose, a non-profit organization focused on overdose prevention, to improve naloxone accessibility and education. End Overdose sought a public safety partner for a National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) grant aimed at providing naloxone training to students, staff and parents in high schools, with a special focus on expanding into the Latino community. During a meeting between the ORS team and the Chief of the Bell Gardens Police Department (BGPD), the Chief highlighted gaps in naloxone distribution within the local Hispanic community. In response, the ORS team facilitated a partnership between End Overdose and the BGPD. The BGPD Neighborhood Watch Coordinator co-hosted a community event with End Overdose, where naloxone training was conducted in Spanish for a predominantly Latino audience. The event attracted over 90 participants, who received naloxone training, and facilitated the distribution of more than 50 naloxone kits. The partnership expanded further when a Spanish-speaking Bell Gardens police officer participated in virtual Spanish training sessions available on the End Overdose website. This effort provided culturally inclusive resources and ensured broader dissemination of life-saving information.

Naloxone Training for Riverside Community Law Enforcement
In 2024, Riverside community organizations raised concerns about law enforcement interactions with people with substance use disorder (SUD). To help address these concerns and support law enforcement, the ORS team received approval to conduct naloxone training with Riverside County Law Enforcement. In collaboration with Health Management Associates (HMA), the ORS team co-hosted an evidence-based training focused on naloxone education and addiction science for law enforcement. Conducted virtually through the Los Angeles Regional Criminal Information Clearinghouse (LA CLEAR), the sessions included live virtual participation and covered five key topics: 1) overdose landscape in the four-county area, 2) neurochemistry and addiction science, 3) stigma reduction, 4) Good Samaritan Laws and standing order and 5) compassion fatigue and naloxone education. These sessions are designed to be shared with sergeants across various police departments to support comprehensive all-staff training in early 2025.

Collaboration with California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
The ORS team’s new health partner, CDPH, expressed interest in understanding data trends and pulling reports using the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP). The ORS team facilitated a meeting with CDPH, other California ORS partners and the Washington/ Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (W/B HIDTA) ODMAP Coordinator to explore alternative options for using ODMAP data, as its surveillance capabilities are limited. This collaboration helped CDPH better navigate data analysis tools for more informed decision-making.