OD2A

What is Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)?

OD2A is a federal project led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Jefferson County Department of Health is a sub-recipient of this grant which was received by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The purpose of the project is to gather real-time data on drug overdoses and to use this data to drive prevention actions that ultimately reduce drug overdose deaths.

OD2A provides a unique opportunity to build relationships in local communities. The efforts of the OD2A team will link organizations to create more efficient and comprehensive strategies to cope with the opioid epidemic. Activities implemented by grant recipients include short, intermediate, and long-term goals, such as decreasing drug overdose death rate, decreasing the rate of opioid use disorder, decreasing opioid-related emergency department visits, and increasing access to evidence-based treatment.

Who are we?

The Jefferson County Department of Health OD2A team is working locally, in Jefferson County and its surrounding regions, to actively collect data and form community partnerships. We hope to implement public health solutions that will minimize overdoses long-term.

Our Goals?

We are working to combat overdoses and the resulting deaths in our community through a two-part plan. One aspect of the project is surveillance. This involves collaborating with local partners, such as emergency departments, medical examiners, and emergency medical services, to create a comprehensive set of overdose-related data. This data will help us identify trends for the second aspect of the project: prevention. Here we plan to deploy rapid response teams to areas in critical need. These teams will administer naloxone trainings and vaccines, educate on harm reduction, assess individuals for substance use disorders, and provide resources for treatment and recovery. We will then expand efforts to our surrounding regions in need to further our impact in linkage to care and support for providers and health systems.

This project will help address the immediate need in our community and have positive effects long-term. We hope this project will establish a safe and supportive community presence to educate the public and minimize the use of opioids and their related risks.