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<br /> <br />4 March 30, 2023 <br />This solution is currently being successfully delivered. In response to the opioid crisis, many <br />communities have implemented overdose outreach programs to reduce overdoses and deaths from <br />overdose. Programs like Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI), Drug Abuse Response <br />Teams (DART), and Quick Response Teams (QRT) include timely follow up with overdose survivors to <br />provide resources for overdose prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. Outreach is most <br />effective 24–72 hours post overdose. <br /> <br />This program would greatly enhance the community’s response to drug overdose. Currently, <br />comprehensive and coordinated response to survivors of a non-fatal overdose does not exist in Cass <br />County. Examples of current responses include police officers advising overdose survivors to “get some <br />help” and emergency departments treating, stabilizing and discharging them. As a result, some family <br />and friends of persons who use drugs contact law enforcement begging to have their loved ones <br />arrested and incarcerated so they don’t die of an overdose. The police department does not have the <br />time or resources to provide overdose outreach and gladly welcomes assistance in this area. <br /> <br />This program would establish structure and resources for providing coordinated efforts among all <br />committed stakeholders and agencies in Cass County. This includes staff dedicated to coordinate the <br />program and provide outreach. Coordination with overdose survivors, family members, first responders, <br />law enforcement, emergency department staff, and service providers is essential. Outreach staff will <br />provide a number of services including training on opioid overdose response and Narcan administration; <br />dissemination of Narcan kits for persons who use drugs, family, and friends; instruction on harm <br />reduction practices and distribution of supplies; referral to treatment, offering peer recovery coaching; <br />and linkage to other resources including transportation, housing, and medical care. <br /> <br />This program would be a multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach to addressing the needs of <br />individuals with a history of drug misuse. Partners would include law enforcement, major healthcare <br />systems, the opioid treatment program, treatment providers, behavioral health service providers, <br />recovery services, and others. <br /> <br />FCPH would dedicate staff to coordinate the program and provide outreach. Staff will guide program <br />planning and implementation, and convene regular stakeholder discussions to ensure continued project <br />implementation and redirection if needed. <br /> <br />A trained peer recovery coach would be utilized to connect with survivors of a non-fatal overdose within <br />72 hours in an effort to engage the survivor in treatment and support services. The recovery coach will <br />also provide survivors of non-fatal overdoses, and their friends and family, Narcan and training on <br />administration, as well as support services. The project will work to provide access to detox, treatment <br />services and medication-assisted treatment. <br /> <br />If feasible, implementation of naloxone distribution upon release from incarceration, and the <br />establishment of an overdose response team would greatly enhance the community’s opioid overdose <br />prevention efforts.