Combating Opioid Overdose through Community-Level Intervention

the United States, claiming an alarming number of lives each year. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, surpassing automobile crashes since 2009. According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdoses accounted for more than 52,000 U.S. deaths in 2015 and, of those, more than 33,000 (63%) involved an opioid. This ongoing opioid overdose epidemic presents new challenges to public health and public safety officials, medical professionals, local communities, and other stakeholders invested in curbing rates of accidental death. Preparing regional and community leaders to respond effectively to the public health emergency that is today’s opioid overdose crisis (and be prepared to take on that crisis as it evolves tomorrow) is essential for achieving the shared goal of preventing fatal overdose and saving lives. ONDCP expects to award one Federal grant under the Combating Opioid Overdose through Community-Level Intervention Initiative for a 1-year period, beginning approximately September 2017. The successful non-Federal entity (NFE) will conduct research activities that entail implementing and evaluating community-based efforts to fight the opioid overdose epidemic. These activities will be focused on the regions of the United States with some of the highest rates of fatal and non-fatal opioid-related overdoses and will work to coordinate the often decentralized state and local efforts to assess and respond to opioid-related overdoses. Efforts will also support and promote the partnership of law enforcement and public health agencies, as coordination and collaboration between these two groups is proving critical to addressing this epidemic. Efforts will also align with and be informed by related projects currently being conducted by ONDCP and CDC, and both agencies will work closely with the successful NFE. Goals, Objectives and What the Government is Supporting The assistance provided under this award will support the NFE’s performance of the award and fulfillment of the following performance areas: • Research and analyze 1) a range of existing community-based efforts to address the opioid epidemic and 2) current evidence-based and proven strategies to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths; • Using the evidence-based approaches previously identified, implement or enhance community-based new or ongoing programs that aim to reduce opioid overdose particularly in the regions of the United States with the highest rates of fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses; • Once implemented, evaluate these community-based efforts to assess their efficacy in reducing opioid overdose and other harms of opioid (mis)use, particularly in the regions of the United States with the highest rates of fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses; and • Support and promote collaboration between public safety and public health agencies to ensure that overdose reduction efforts are aligned and that communities benefit from a comprehensive and coordinated response.