SE26 Overdose Prevention Competitive Deliverable Solicitation Grant

The Ohio Department of Health seeks to combat the ongoing crisis of unintentional drug overdoses, which claimed 4,452 lives in 2023. This initiative aims to establish a regional collaborative focused on enhancing access to evidence-based treatments and harm reduction strategies. By addressing the specific needs of vulnerable populations, particularly in the Southeast region, the program intends to build sustainable prevention efforts and reduce overdose risks through data-driven approaches and community engagement.

The Ohio Department of Health continues to aim to address unintentional drug overdose as a major health problem within the state. In 2023, there were 4,452 unintentional drug overdose deaths. While there was a 9% decrease in the number of deaths from 2023 to 2022, unintentional drug overdoses still remain a priority to address in Ohio. In 2023, illicit fentanyl continued to be the driving force behind Ohio overdose deaths, contributing to 78% of unintentional drug overdoses. Among the overdose deaths by Race and Ethnicity, the Black non-Hispanic population continued to have the highest rate of unintentional drug overdose deaths. More specifically, Black non-Hispanic males continued to have the highest rate of unintentional drug overdose deaths compared with other sex and race/ethnicity groups. At 100.3 deaths per 100,000 population, the overdose death rate for Black non-Hispanic males was nearly twice that of White non-Hispanic males.
To prevent further morbidity and mortality related to substance use disorders, a multi-factored approach is required. Critical strategies include increasing access and linkages to evidence-based treatment and services; and implementing harm reduction strategies to reduce the risk of overdose and other associated dangers. The purpose of this funding is to establish a regional drug overdose prevention collaborative to support and sustain overdose prevention efforts across the state of Ohio.
The Southeast region will be tasked with collaborating with partner agencies and/or organizations (if applicable) and the state to ensure the alignment of strategies and fill gaps in services for people with substance use disorders. The goal of addressing the Southeast region of the state is to support local communities in building the foundation for long term, effective drug overdose prevention interventions guided by data-identified needs within their community.
First-Tier Subrecipients will support the local implementation of navigator-based linkages to care for clinical, harm reduction, community-based linkages to care, and public safety settings; bolster harm reduction efforts, specifically among rural and minority populations; and collaborate with the state to assess needs and gaps in service across the prevention continuum for PWUD and those with SUD. Additionally, this program is intended to integrate the use of data to inform implementation strategies and build in sustainability planning from the outset of the project.