Kenosha opioid response initiative (kori) - the kenosha county overdose response initiative's (kori) approach to combating the opioid crisis is through collaborative, data-driven, decision making

Our goal is to reduce the number of fatal opioid-related overdoses and fatalities. Strategies for accomplishing this goal are to expand and promote kenosha county public health's narcan distribution program and implement a mobile overdose response team that provides referral to treatment services and recovery support. Kenosha county (population 169,561) is located in the southeast corner of wisconsin, midway between chicago illinois and milwaukee wisconsin. Kenosha county includes 12 municipalities and has the 4TH largest city (kenosha) in wisconsin. Kenosha county has been HIT hard by the opioid epidemic. The stress, anxiety, and isolation created by the covid-19 pandemic, in addition to the disparities brought to light during recent civil unrest in our community have impacted the magnitude of the opioid epidemic in kenosha county. In 2020, toxicity death reports from the kenosha county medical examiner's office show that 28% of the toxicity deaths were between the ages of 41-50, 26% between the ages of 51-60, 22% between the ages of 31-40, and 16% between the ages of 19-30. 65% were male and 34% female. Our data also shows that 91% were caucasian, 4% black/african american, 2% hispanic, and 2.04% are veterans. There was a 63% increase in toxicity deaths in 2020. Those deaths include a 52% increase in opioid-related deaths and a 50% increase in fentanyl analog/fentanyl-related deaths. Kori will integrate and expand kenosha county's current narcan program that serves to make narcan available to first responders, and community members as well as educate them on recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose and how to administer life-saving naloxone. Kori will expand the training to include additional key sectors such as judges, court personnel, teachers, and business owner in high risk communities. We will also include education on the safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other illicit and dangerous drugs. Trainings will be tailored to help ensure we provide the educational needs of each key sector we train. In addition, kori will implement a mobile overdose response team. Public health staff will streamline referrals into local resources, educate survivors on harm reduction, mat, and administering narcan. The certified peer support specialists provides models of self-care, help in managing day-to-day life, and provides referrals for patients. Kori will leverage relationships and build off the infrastructure and progress made to date by the narcan program and the kenosha county opioid task force, a multi-sector coalition addressing opioid misuse addiction, and overdose deaths in kenosha county. Kori will serve 700 people annually and 2,800 throughout the four years of the program, with the potential to serve more as we reduce barriers to treatment and strengthen community participation.