Out-of-State Felony Arrest Information Enhances Ongoing Investigation
A recent collaboration enabled key information sharing about Tennessee residents arrested in South Carolina on methamphetamine distribution charges to further an existing investigation. The SC DIO passed the felony arrest information to the TN DIO who then shared the arrest information with local agency contacts in TN. One of the subjects arrested in SC was […]
Engaging Hard-to-Reach Clients at High Risk of Fatal Overdose
A post-overdose response team (PORT) pilot in Hawaii, an extension of an existing social work team and patient navigators, engages unintentional overdose survivors at the Queen’s Medical Center emergency department. One of the PORT team’s major challenges was reaching patients who might leave before a patient navigator contacts them, particularly those without contact information or […]
Partnerships with Coroners for Improvements in Postmortem Toxicology Testing and Mortality Data in Idaho and Louisiana
Sharing timely overdose data and information is crucial to understand and develop strategies to reduce overdoses nationwide. In the following stories, the Louisiana ORS team and the Idaho ORS team proactively initiated collaborations with key public health and public safety partners to share overdose knowledge and establish response strategies. In Louisiana prior to 2023, […]
Youth Prevention Tiktok Video Goes Viral
In 2020, Minnesotans ages 15-24 experienced a 26 percent increase in drug overdose deaths and those ages 25-34 experienced a 57 percent increase. Consequently, the Minnesota Department of Health identified a need to reach youth and young adults, warning them of the dangers of counterfeit pills and connecting them to harm reduction and treatment resources. […]
ORS Network Battling Disinformation
In July 2023, the Connecticut Drug Intelligence Officer (DIO) shared a post regarding hoax information on the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) internal discussion forum. The false narrative involved utility workers poisoned by fentanyl after receiving water from a passerby. After hearing anecdotal reports of this poisoning, a CT Department of Transportation (DOT) official decided to […]
Finding shelter for sex trafficking victims with substance use disorder
As sex traffickers often use substances to help maintain control over trafficking victims, these individuals may develop substance use disorders (SUD). Victims of sex trafficking in need of safe housing may face challenges receiving assistance due to SUD restrictions. To address the issue of trafficking victims with SUD being turned away from traditional trafficking shelters, […]
Delaware First Responder Naloxone Leave-Behind Program
The Delaware Division of Public Health recognized the need for police participation in naloxone leave-behind programs and engaged the DE ORS team to encourage law enforcement involvement in the program. Since 2021, the DE DIO and PHA have been soliciting participation from the state’s 48 police departments. In early 2022, a total of 18 police […]
Low Barrier Post Overdose Initiative
Through initial outreach efforts to learn more about overdose response in Lafayette Parish, the Louisiana Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) Public Health Analyst (PHA) met with the Major of Enforcement at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office to learn about the number of overdose calls and the number of naloxone doses provided when responding to an overdose […]
Cross-State Information Sharing: Potential Protests at Pharmacies in Illinois
One of the prominent assets of the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) program is the large network and ability for cross-state collaboration among ORS teams to swiftly share information. The New York Public Health Analyst (PHA) reached out to the Illinois PHA after receiving information about potential pharmacy protests staged in Illinois that could bring about […]
Establishing Relationships to Bridge Gaps in Tribal Communities
Tribal communities have been facing issues with access to care and treatment, especially with opioids and other drug threats impacting their tight-knit communities. To provide these communities with attainable treatment services, the Wyoming (WY) ORS team fostered a meaningful and supportive relationship with the Wind River Indian Reservation. The team collaborated with the Eastern Shoshone […]