Connecticut State Department of Public Health



STRENGTHENING PRESCRIPTION DRUG OVERDOSE PREVENTION EFFORTS IN CT (PDOpfs Grant)

CDC Grant Project Period: 03/01/2016 - 08/31/2019


CDC Mandatory strategy

          #1: Enhance and Maximize Connecticut’s PDMP

          Outcomes for Priority Strategy:

  • Decreased interval for data collection
  • Increased use of combined PDMP and Medical Examiners’ reports for surveillance
  • Increased number (and percent) of practitioners signed up to use the PDMP
  • Decreased incidences of doctor shopping

     

    #2: Implement Community Health System Interventions

    Outcomes for Priority Strategy:

  • Improved LHDs capacity for acquiring and disseminating drug overdose data
  • Increased by-standers’ intervention to prevent prescription drugs and opioids overdose deaths
  • Increased outreach and education to providers on proper use and interpretation of prescription data
  • Decreased prescription drug and heroin overdose deaths
  • Reduced teen experimentation with prescription drugs

     

          #3: Evaluation on Public Act 14-61

          Outcomes for Priority Strategy:

  • Analyze the impact of Public Act 14-61 on 1) ED visits and inpatient hospitalizations for drug misuse and overdose, 2) behavioral change of by-standers, and 3) overdose deaths

 

“AN ACT PROVIDING IMMUNITY TO A PERSON WHO ADMINISTERS AN OPIOID ANTAGONIST TO ANOTHER PERSON EXPERIENCING AN OPIOID-RELATED DRUG OVERDOSE.”

 

Selection factors:

  1. County rate of heroin and prescription drug overdose deaths
  2. County rate of prescription drug overdose hospitalization
  3. Availability of treatment facilities e.g. Methadone and Suboxone clinics
  4. Availability of pharmacies that carry Narcan medication
  5. Availability of medication drop boxes in the county

 

Selected Local Health Districts/Departments:

  1. Bridgeport LHD – 147,612
  2. New Haven LHD – 130,282
  3. Hartford LHD – 124, 705
  4. Ledge Light Health District – 121,229
  5. Waterbury LHD – 109,307
  6. Quinnipiack Valley Health District – 99,787

Total Population affected by interventions:  732,922

Each of the six Local Health Districts/Departments will receive about $30,000/year from this CDC grant for the implementation of recommended evidence based strategies identified in the Connecticut Opioid REsponse (CORE) Initiative and are expected to submit mid and annual reports documenting in details progress, successes and challenges.


Other Notable Partners:

Department of Consumer Protection (DCP)

Department of Mental Health and Addiciton Services (DMHAS)

Yale School of Medicine (YSM)