Overdose Fatality Review's Influence on Innovative Harm Reduction Services and Messaging

This presentation shares how, through the overdose fatality review (OFR) process, demographic trends in overdose deaths resulted in the development of an outreach plan and a marketing campaign using harm reduction interventions to target high-risk communities, including African-American, LGBTQ+, Latinx, and those experiencing homelessness. Columbus Public Health (CPH) is the lead agency for the Columbus and Franklin County Addiction Plan (C&FCAP) and a participating member in the Franklin County, Ohio, Overdose Fatality Review (OFR). In addition to the public health administrator from CPH’s Alcohol and Drug Services Division attending the OFR, a CPH epidemiologist attended in order to compile the demographic information, key findings, client histories, and other personal information of the individual cases. Based on the findings, an analysis of each decedent was performed, and a cross-examination brought forth emerging trends and areas to identify gaps in service including the African-American, LGBTQ+, Latinx, and homeless populations. Results also indicated that there was a slight increase in overdose deaths during the holiday season in specific neighborhoods, which resulted in geo-fencing messaging. With members of the C&FCAP, including the coroner; those with lived experience; grassroots organizations that focus on the homeless population and victims of human trafficking; and the quick response teams, a messaging campaign was developed and implemented.