Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)
OD2A
The Quinnipiack Valley Health District (QVHD) was awarded the Overdose Data to Action grant through the Department of Public Health (DPH) in March of 2020. In collaboration with the New Haven Health Department (NHHD) this new grant will allow us to expand our efforts to address the surging opioid crisis in the greater New Haven area. Working with the state DPH and other local partners, we aim to enhance our response to drug overdoses, strengthen public health interventions to ultimately prevent the misuse of opioids, improve protective behaviors and reduce drug overdose morbidity and mortality.
Our local health OD2A outreach team is excited to utilize our various new data sources to drive response efforts and meet people where they are in the community. Our program consists of five main components:
- Data Collection & Dissemination – assess available data, identify gaps, develop protocol for collection & sharing of data
- Workforce Development – offering trainings to advance substance & opioid misuse/knowledge in various community settings
- Community Communication Campaigns: educate various sectors of society on opioid use disorder, naloxone, prevention and recovery. Expand our ConneCT Without Stigma Campaign that’s dedicated to shattering the stigma surrounding substance use and mental health.
- Prevention: highlight the risk of medications, encourage safe storage & disposal. Work to prevent stigma, self medicating, overdose and increase overall awareness of the prevalence of substance use disorder. .
- Response: initiate programs that address high risk populations; Launch our own Post Overdose Response Team to expand harm reduction education and offer referral to treatment.