Resources: Overdose Prevention

Reports on the implementation, activities, and outcomes of state opioid response (SOR) grantees using data collected in fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023. Includes accomplishments for all the states and territories and rural mentions throughout.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the South Central region of the U.S. Develops training and offers technical assistance to address opioid and stimulant use in rural communities throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Provides information on mortality disparities from overdose, suicide, and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis, also known as diseases of despair, in the Appalachian region among people aged 15-26. Uses 2022 data from the Multiple Cause of Death database to examine mortality trends regionally, by state, as well as by gender, and metropolitan or nonmetropolitan designation.

Develops partnerships between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and community and faith-based organizations. Provides up-to-date information on federal health and human service activities and resources to help local organizations better serve their communities. Focuses on supporting grassroots efforts to address the issues of mental health and youth, opioids and preventing overdose, suicide prevention, and supporting individuals reentering society after incarceration and their families.

Provides training and technical assistance to jurisdictions to develop, implement, and expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support individuals impacted by the use and misuse of opioids, stimulants, and other substances. Promotes access to treatment and recovery services in the criminal justice system, data collection and sharing, leveraging resources and funding, and efforts to prevent substance misuse.

Provides information to first responder agencies, communities, and other stakeholders to support practices and approaches for first responders to connect people to substance use treatment and other support services. Offers evidence-based strategies, public health approaches, resources, and program models, including best practices for responding to opioid overdoses. Considers potential challenges, such as those faced in rural areas, and other factors when implementing initiatives to support people who use drugs.

Summarizes key focus areas, needs, and recommendations of underrepresented rural and tribal law enforcement leaders in 9 states that were the result of a series of listening sessions with federal agencies. Includes topics such as substance use and addiction; mental health and medical care; illegal drug trafficking and related crime; school safety; and funding, among others. Describes ongoing federal responses to rural law enforcement concerns and highlights several best practices and new ideas to support local efforts to enhance public safety and reduce crime in rural and tribal areas.

Provides interactive data visualizations on drug overdose mortality rates in the U.S. from 2003 through 2021. Shows national trends broken down by age, sex, and race and provides state and county-level data. Includes urban/rural trends by state for the estimated crude death rates for drug overdose.

Provides information to law enforcement, courts, child welfare agencies, and schools on how they can create cross-sector collaborations to reduce the harmful effects of substance use on children and families. Includes 8 strategies for cross-sector collaboration and provides examples of successful collaboration projects. Considers factors related to addressing substance use in rural communities.

Provides information and guidance to rural communities on establishing deflection and pre-arrest diversion (DPAD) programs. Promotes the use of DPAD to reduce criminal justice system involvement for people who use drugs and those with substance use disorders and help link them to evidence-based treatment services. Describes challenges to implementing DPAD programs in rural areas and offers strategies and resources to address these barriers. Includes example projects from 2 rural communities.

Provides a worksheet to assist rural health departments in developing partnerships with local groups and organizations to address the inter-related issues of suicide, overdose, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in their communities. Discusses risk and protective factors as well as data sources relevant to suicide, overdose, and ACEs. Offers important considerations for current and future partnerships designed to enhance prevention in rural areas.

Provides guidance and resources to help individuals and communities build and strengthen community coalitions with the ultimate goal of decreasing opioid overdose deaths. Includes insights from rural communities and rural considerations.

Fact sheet detailing a 6-step planning process to help schools and institutions of higher education develop or update emergency operation plans (EOPs) to address overdose and other potential threats and issues resulting from fentanyl and opioid misuse. Discusses the 5 mission areas of preparedness for opioid-related emergencies and the effects of the opioid crisis on school-aged children, young adults, and school safety. Includes links to additional resources and information to aid in the development of school EOPs, and programs and activities to prepare for and respond to an opioid overdose.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. Develops culturally and linguistically appropriate, evidence-based training and best practices on harm reduction, prevention, treatment, and recovery. Offers technical assistance to address substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health to strengthen rural communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Highlights several programs and opportunities the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is supporting to address the opioid crisis and resources on expanding access to care, connecting resources, sharing best practices, training, and more.

Shares the impacts and accomplishments of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the State Justice Institute (SJI). RROE consisted of 21 rural sites, including their partners in public safety, public health, and behavioral health, that planned, developed, implemented, and/or improved programs, practices, and policies to address substance use disorder (SUD) and overdoses in their communities.

Documents the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from the Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Program (ROOR), a 2015 pilot grant program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Includes resources to support related projects and programs, with links to training, data strategies, and outreach tools.

Provides an overview of a 2017 pilot project to enhance the ability of local health departments (LHDs) to address opioid use and reduce the occurrence of fatal and non-fatal overdose in their communities by working more effectively with state and local partners. Summarizes project activities and goals and gives a brief introduction to the four pilot sites: Bell County, Kentucky; Hillsborough County, New Hampshire; Montgomery County, Ohio; and Boone County, West Virginia.

Provides information on the availability of, and access to, medications for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD), and for reversing opioid overdoses within state Medicaid plans. Discusses policies and regulations affecting access to these medications and reviews the present coverage and availability of the medications to Medicaid beneficiaries in each state. Includes 5 innovative models for expanding medication access to underserved Medicaid populations, including those residing in rural areas, American Indian/Alaska Native communities, and individuals recently released from incarceration.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Mountain Plains region of the U.S. Offers training and technical assistance to help address opioid and stimulant use, substance use disorder (SUD), mental health, and other behavioral health issues. Supports rural communities in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Interactive map providing data on suspected nonfatal drug overdoses in pre-hospital care settings in the U.S. at the national, state, and county level. Offers data on nonfatal drug overdose incidence and trends, including overdose rates, number/rate of naloxone administration, and average emergency medical services (EMS) response time. Allows users to explore disparities according to demographic characteristics, such as age, race, gender, and frontier, rural, and urban geographies, as well as by the suspected drug involved.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) providing training and technical assistance to address opioids, stimulants, and other substances impacting rural communities in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Northwest region of the U.S. Provides support, technical assistance, and training to address opioid use disorder (OUD) and stimulant use throughout rural areas in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Opioid Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program. Focuses on reducing opioid overdoses and deaths among veterans through education and training for prevention, recognition, rescue response, and naloxone kit use. Includes OEND videos and materials for providers and patients.

Allows local organizations, providers, state and local health departments, and other stakeholders to add a free, customizable version of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opioid overdose website to their own websites. Helps communities disseminate online, current CDC opioid information and resources, as well as training on the CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain.

Toolkit sharing field guidance, resources, and presentations to support clinical decisions about starting, continuing, or tapering opioid therapy, and other challenges related to safe opioid prescribing. Includes patient and provider education, clinical tools, and other resources.

Provides a brief overview of the issue of opioid overdoses in rural areas and offers public health policy and strategy options to help communities prevent and reduce rural opioid overdose deaths. Includes case studies describing interventions implemented in 3 states.

Provides guidance to policymakers, communities, and key stakeholders to develop and implement system- and practice-level changes to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Presents results from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative's HEALing Communities Study. Outlines priority populations and 19 evidence-based interventions to prevent and reduce opioid related overdose deaths. Offers resources on various topics related to opioid overdose and highlights model programs, including those serving rural areas.

Provides guidance and resources to help communities, healthcare providers, and volunteers providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and harm reduction and recovery services address opioid use in their communities. Includes rural mentions throughout.

Details the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services strategy to respond to drug overdoses and prevent overdose deaths across the U.S. Shares research, resources, and evidence-informed overdose interventions focused on 4 priority areas: primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support. Offers strategies and resources designed to increase coordination among key stakeholders, reduce stigma, and expand access to healthcare and treatment for underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Shares information, resources, and tools organized around 7 strategies to help local and state health departments link people at risk of opioid overdose to care. Includes rural examples and discussion throughout.

Consists of a public health and public safety collaboration between the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) across the U.S. Seeks to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdose rates by improving information sharing across agencies and supporting evidence-based interventions. Equips states with a Drug Intelligence Officer (DIO) and a Public Health Analyst (PHA) who are responsible for helping to increase communication, data flow, and intelligence sharing between public safety and public health sectors within and across states.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Pacific Southwest region of the U.S. Shares training opportunities, shares information, and offers technical assistance to help rural communities address opioid and stimulant use throughout Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific jurisdictions.

Consists of a network of 10 regional resource centers, a central coordinating office, a National Hispanic and Latino PTTC, and a National American Indian and Alaska Native PTTC that work to support effective substance use prevention interventions. Develops and disseminates education, training, resources, and information to raise awareness and promote the implementation of evidence-based prevention practices. Facilitates the adoption of new technology by individuals and organizations working in the field of substance use prevention. PTTC focus areas include community coalitions and collaborators; health equity and inclusion; data-informed decisions; implementation science; cannabis prevention; and workforce development.

Provides training and technical assistance to BJA's Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) grantees in their efforts to address substance use disorders (SUDs) and reduce overdose deaths in jails and prisons. Aims to enhance the capacity of state, local, and Indian tribal governments to provide residential SUD treatment during detention and to plan and deliver community-based treatment and aftercare services upon release from incarceration.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) offering training and technical assistance to address substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health, including prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. Supports rural communities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Directory of behavioral health treatment locator tools, hotlines for suicide prevention, treatment referral services, assistance for veterans in crisis, and more. Includes links to resources and services related to substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery; mental illness; medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD); harm reduction; opioid overdose; crisis care; and suicide prevention.

Presents the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 4-year strategic plan detailing the agency's guiding principles, priorities, goals, and objectives to address behavioral health needs in the U.S. Focuses on 5 key areas: preventing substance use and overdose; access to suicide prevention and mental health services; promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families; integrating behavioral and physical healthcare; and strengthening behavioral health workforce. Emphasizes behavioral health equity for underserved and/or historically marginalized populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Southeast region of the U.S. Develops training and provides technical assistance to address opioid and stimulant use in rural communities. Supports rural communities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Provides information and resources for local health departments and community organizations implementing or expanding overdose prevention and response strategies at the local level. Offers guidance in developing practical measurement strategies to monitor progress, demonstrate accountability, and assess the outcomes and impact of grant-funded overdose initiatives. Includes examples from programs implemented in rural counties.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in New England. Provides support, technical assistance, and naloxone training to address substance use disorder (SUD) and overdose throughout rural areas in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Provides access to education materials developed by the VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services (PBM) Academic Detailing Services (ADS) sharing evidence-based treatments to help providers improve the health of veterans. Offers provider and patient education tools and outreach resources to encourage evidence-based decision making for a variety of medical conditions and diseases, including opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), pain, harm reduction, suicide, dementia, depression, HIV, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.