Overdose Data to Action

Introduction

Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) was awarded grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) as passthrough funding from the Indiana Department of Health in 2019. The grant funding will continue through August 31, 2023.

The purpose of OD2A is to collect high quality, comprehensive, and timely data on nonfatal and fatal overdoses and use the data to inform prevention and response efforts.

MCPHD’s OD2A vision is “To prevent and reduce overdoses in Marion County through a comprehensive, coordinated and cohesive public health approach that leads to sustainable systematic changes in system of care coordination, better access to care in the criminal justice system, data and best practices sharing, and linkage and retention in care”.

Why is our work important? 

Source: Health: Overdose Prevention: (in.gov)

*Data for 2021 is preliminary and subject to change

Drug overdoses and associated deaths have increased dramatically in Marion County and across the nation since 2020. Some of this increase is attributed to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic such as: decreased access to mental health and substance use-related services, increased stress, mental health struggles, loss of jobs, social isolation, disruptions of schedules for children, loss of friends and loved ones, uncertainty of future, and more.

Each day in Marion County there are approximately 20 drug overdose patients that receive care at a hospital in Indianapolis and about 2-3 drug overdose-related deaths per day. The count of drug overdose cases is believed to be severely underestimated due naloxone availability in the community. Naloxone also referred to its brand name, Narcan, is a safe medication that can be used to reverse an opioid-involved drug overdose.

Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (I-EMS) and other EMS partners revive individuals with naloxone every day. Here is the most recent map of where I-EMS naloxone runs have taken place in the last quarter.

You can review previous Quarterly Naloxone Administration Maps here: Substance Use Outreach Services (marionhealth.org)

You can review quarterly reports for suspected overdose fatalities here: Marion County Coroner’s Office Quarterly Report

You can review previous Quarterly Overdose Death Density Maps here: Substance Use Outreach Services (marionhealth.org)

Statistics show that most people in the United States have a friend, family member, or know someone who has struggled with a substance use disorder or lost their life to a substance use-related event. Please be kind, show compassion for all people, and use non-stigmatizing language (insert link to resource page), you never know who might be struggling. To request data from the Epidemiology Department, please click here. Please contact Epidemiology at 317.221.3355 or epidemiology@marionhealth.org if you have additional data requests.

Marion County Drug Overdose Data Dashboard 

You can