Enhancing Post-Overdose Outreach Programs and Access to Real-Time Overdose and Emerging Drug Trend Data in Black and Brown Communities

The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services (BHS) proposes to address health inequities among individuals with opioid and/or stimulant use disorder and their families, who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and negatively affected by continued poverty, segregation, and inequality. The project, “Enhancing Post-Overdose Outreach Programs and Access to Real-Time Overdose and Emerging Drug Trend Data in Black and Brown Communities,” will serve Milwaukee. The project aims to reduce the impact of opioids, stimulants, and other substances on Black and Hispanic individuals and communities by: (1) expanding evidence-informed best practices for post-overdose outreach programs by providing social work support to community members following fatal and non-fatal overdoses; and (2) enhancing the Overdose Public Health and Safety Team (OD-PHAST) infrastructure, the multidisciplinary coordinating body that focuses on addressing the issues that arise due to the use of opioids, stimulants, and other substances. Activities to achieve the project’s goal and objectives include: (1) adding a social worker to the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Community Paramedic nonfatal overdose team, (2) adding a bilingual social worker to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office (MCMEO) fatal overdose outreach team, (3) expanding data exchange with correctional facilities providing medication-assisted treatment for residents with opioid use disorder, (4) refining the OD-PHAST recommendation implementation process, and (5) establishing an OD-PHAST governing committee. Measurable objectives are to: increase the number of deflection and diversion programs; increase collaborations and prevention programming across disciplines; increase capacity and strategies implemented in historically underserved and marginalized communities; and increase the capacity of partners to access and use data.