Strategies and Tools for Overdose Prevention (STOP) - The Strategies and Tools for Overdose Prevention (STOP) initiative, led by the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University, seeks to prevent overdose deaths and reduce opioid-related harms across Detroit’s metropolitan region – Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties – which remains at an increased risk for overdose morbidity and mortality. Over a three-year period, STOP will: (1) provide Overdose Rescue Training to 3,000 laypersons, community partners, healthcare providers, and individuals at elevated risk of overdose; (2) distribute 3,000 Overdose Rescue Kits containing FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medications (OORMs), educational resources, and safe medication disposal supplies; (3) strengthen regional overdose response through a Community Prevention Collaborative (CPC) that supports coordinated referral pathways and a network of 90 publicly accessible naloxone sites (NaloxBox); and (4) expand community workforce capacity through professional development and hands-on service-learning opportunities for 114 AmeriCorps volunteers. Trends in overdose morbidity and mortality in Detroit have evolved over the past 25 years, marked by three waves: prescription opioids (1990s), heroin (2010), and synthetics (since 2013) including fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and nitazene opioids. From 2019-2024 alone, Detroit recorded over 7,700 overdose deaths. As fentanyl and counterfeit pills continue to spread, expanding community knowledge, preparedness, and access to lifesaving resources remains an urgent public health priority to prevent overdoses. The primary goal of STOP is to increase the preparedness of 3,000 community participants to recognize and prevent overdose deaths. The populations of focus to be impacted by the proposed overdose prevention and response capacity building activities will include: individuals with mental, behavioral, and/or substance use disorders and their loved ones; substance use recovery groups; healthcare and mental health providers; pharmacies; law enforcement; emergency response persons and paramedics; juvenile and criminal justice systems; civil courts; persons who are experiencing homelessness, veterans, faith-based organizations, social workers; seniors/senior service providers; youth-serving organizations; and other community stakeholders likely to encounter an overdose emergency. To build the capacity of these individuals, STOP will implement a community-centered approach through the following measurable objectives. 1). STOP will recruit and train 114 AmeriCorps volunteers (38 annually) as Overdose Rescue Trainers who will receive professional development skills and deliver community training sessions. Volunteer experience and professional development will be measured by the number and type of certifications completed and exit surveys following their service term. 2). Overdose Rescue Trainers will deliver overdose training sessions to at least 3,000 people (1,000 annually) in the focus population who are at-risk of overdose or likely to encounter an overdose and equip them with an Overdose Rescue Kit containing OORM (naloxone), shareable resource cards, and safe medication disposal supplies. Participants' awareness to recognize and respond to an overdose will increase to 90% as measured by anonymous pre/post training surveys. 3). Overdose Rescue Trainers will install 27 new public access naloxone sites (NaloxBoxes) (7 annually) in high-risk areas for a network of 90 total sites (63 pre-established). STOP will use EMS data and work with CPC partners to identify site locations, complete installations, and create and distribute a QR code to guide community members to nearby sites for naloxone access. Naloxone utilization will be measured by QR codes (at each site) and monthly restocking from project staff. Together, these strategies will equip communities with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to save lives and stop overdose deaths.
