Enhanced Data for Improved Substance Use Surveillance, Prevention and Recovery on Reentry in Cuyahoga County Ohio

The Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County (ADAMHS) is in the Northern District of Ohio (NDOH). Cuyahoga is the NDOH’s most populous county with 1.2 million residents in 58 municipalities. Since 2018 ADAMHS has partnered in surveillance and outreach with law enforcement, public/private health, and social welfare agencies to ameliorate the effects of the opioid epidemic, but stark challenges remain. The county suffered 675 overdose deaths in 2021, one of the highest rates per 100,000 population in the country, with similar numbers expected in 2022. The purpose of this effort is to identify, respond to, and support those affected by illicit drugs, reduce overdose deaths, and mitigate impacts on individuals in the criminal justice system.

ADAMHS is applying for Category 1, Subcategory 1a, priority consideration 1(A) funding (p.15). ADAMHS proposes to: (1) expand comprehensive information gathering, analysis, and dissemination of fatal and nonfatal overdose incidents that promote the use of real-time data collection for planning and response and emerging drug trends (65 %); and (2) conduct a peer recovery support (PRS) services pilot (29%), with an evaluation of the latter (6%). This work involves subrecipients: the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, and Thrive Peer Recovery Services. The three objectives are to: (1) expand the Cuyahoga County Multi-Jurisdictional Overdose Surveillance Program to gain more information and develop clearer insight for better informed planning and response, especially across underserved communities; (2) enhance and diversify the Data Subcommittee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office NDOH Heroin and Opioid Task Force by increasing participation of more culturally specific, faith-based, and citizen action organizations; and (3) pilot a PRS services program to bridge in-custody and community-based services for many non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons.

Overdose Surveillance Program deliverables are an expanded overdose data dashboard; quarterly written drug trend and overdose hotspot alerts; annual reports of overdose trends; and quarterly reports of synthesized law enforcement decedent data provided to the county Overdose Fatality Review; infographics, data briefs, and manuscripts submitted for peer review; and a medical examiner coded-data final report. Data Subcommittee deliverables are bi-monthly meetings; a more diverse membership roster; and bi-monthly data subcommittee oral presentations by regional, state and national peers. PRS services program deliverables are an impact evaluation to assess implementation and outcomes, and regular reports on this proof of concept pilot to Data Subcommittee participants.