Every year, thousands of people die from drug overdose. According to data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics System, there were over 67,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2018. Part of combatting this issue involves studying the factors that go into opioid-related deaths. To help with this process, Melissa Heinen and Mallory O’Brien, from the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, wrote “Overdose Fatality Review: A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementation,” released in July 2020, as part of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program. Overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) help identify system gaps and community-based approaches to prevention and intervention. OFRs can help agencies identify patterns and needs across their jurisdictions to help prevent overdose-related deaths. The guide is organized in five modules:
- Recruit Your OFR Members
- Plan Your OFR Meeting
- Facilitate Your OFR Meeting
- Collect Your OFR Data
- Build a Recommendation Plan