Driving overdose data to action in new jersey - the new jersey department of health (DOH) is pleased to submit this proposal for the CDC overdose data to action in states grant

DOH requests $4,303,642 to implement all required strategies. We also request $350,000 and $200,000, respectively, for optional and competitive strategies 4 and 5. New jersey remains a critical CDC partner in the fight against the overdose crisis. Although new jersey has bucked the national trend of increasing overdoses during the covid-19 pandemic, deaths are still unacceptably high, claiming the lives of about 3,000 residents per year. Additionally, we are seeing increasing racial and ethnic disparities. OD2A-s support will allow US to continue and expand on the surveillance work conducted through OD2A; continue many of our prevention activities; and expand to new evidence-based initiatives to reduce overdose deaths. More specifically, DOH's proposed activities will promote collecting, analyzing, and disseminating high-quality overdose morbidity and mortality data, including greater identification of health disparities in fatal and nonfatal overdoses. Through our prevention programming, we will support innovative and evidence-informed programs including academic detailing for health systems, emergency department peer navigator programs, and community-EMS overdose CO-response teams. We will also continue successful DOH programs, such as our EMS training program, five minutes to help and overdose fatality review teams. Finally, we will support an array of harm reduction tools and resources, including mail-based naloxone, distribution of drug checking equipment, outreach and education in overdose hotspots, and harm reduction peer navigation and outreach services. Through OD2A-s, we reaffirm our commitment to achieving health equity through equitable programming and actionable surveillance activities. OD2A-s support comes at a time when NJ is experiencing an exacerbation of inequities in overdose. This support will enable US to collect, analyze, and disseminate disaggregated data more consistently and to add new areas of focus for analysis. We are committed to using this information in real-time to guide prevention activities. Our robust partnerships include both existing and new collaborations with state and local government agencies and with external partners, including cicatelli associates, INC., NJ harm reduction coalition, the NJ hospital association, newark community street team, and major hospital systems. These partnerships will enable US to effectively reach disproportionately impacted and underserved populations. Most importantly, DOH will ensure that OD2A-s proposed activities are guided by people with lived experience of overdose. Ultimately, throughout this five-year cooperative agreement, we seek to achieve short, middle, and long-term outcomes, including process metrics, to eventually lead NJ to achieve the long-term outcomes outlined in the nofo: (1) decreased fatal drug overdoses; (2) decreased nonfatal drug overdoses; (3) decreased illicit opioid and stimulant use, including CO-use with other substances, OUD, and stud; (4) increased uptake of evidence-based treatment and retention with long-term recovery supports; (5) improved health equity among groups disproportionately affected by the overdose epidemic and those previously underserved by overdose prevention programs; and (6) decreased stigma related to substance use and overdose. We look forward to continued partnership with CDC on the overdose data to action program.