PREVENTING OVERDOSE
“My cousin wouldn’t be here today if naloxone hadn’t been there for us at that time and place. It saved his life — and then it kick-started me to sign up for my own treatment the next week.” – Ventura County resident in treatment
OVERDOSE PREVENTION PROGRAM
The Overdose Prevention Program was launched in late 2014, as a pilot project of the county’s Rx Abuse & Heroin Workgroup. The program targets individuals with an elevated risk of experiencing an opioid overdose or those who are likely to come into contact with someone who may experience an overdose. Since then, the program has expanded to 35 distribution sites across the county, and 8 participating law enforcement agencies, providing overdose prevention, recognition, and response. The success of this innovative program is largely due to the multiagency collaborative approach and the robust evaluation component that was built into the program since its inception, allowing the county to effectively measure the program’s reach and outcomes. Data collection strategies were incorporated to monitor key metrics and refine the program as it was implemented.
THE IMPACT
Overall, what impact has participating in this program had on your drug use?
OD PROJECT DEMOGRAPHICS
YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE. NO OD.
For information about getting a free OVERDOSE RESCUE KIT: Call (805) 667-NO-OD. Naloxone can reverse ODs caused by opioid drugs (heroin, prescription pain meds or methadone).
LEARN MORE
Local Research: Drug-Related Deaths in Ventura County 2008-2014, Kayleigh Hunnicutt, M.A., M.Ed., April 2017.
