Thursday, April 10, 2025
4/10/2025
Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD) Overdose and Disparity Reduction Program (ODRP) - As the state’s largest and most diverse county, Salt Lake County continues to be at the center of the overdose crisis. The total population has increased 15% from the 2010 to 2020 decennial census, distributed across 23 municipalities (towns, cities, metro townships) and several unincorporated communities. More than two-thirds (70%) of Salt Lake County residents identify as Non-Hispanic White, with 19% identifying as Hispanic or Latino. American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Black or African American populations, alone or in combination with any other race, as well as non-White Hispanic populations, have grown 14-22%. Salt Lake County is home to most of the 4,000 refugees, primarily from Africa and South and Central Asia, who resettled in Utah in the last five years. Salt Lake County’s median household income is approximately $82,000 per year, although almost a third (28%) of households earn less than $50,000 per year, and 10% of Salt Lake County residents are uninsured. In Salt Lake County, unintentional drug overdose death and unintentional opioid-involved overdose death rates have trended upwards in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, methamphetamine-involved overdose death and fentanyl-involved overdose death percentages increased from 2020 to 2021, with methamphetamine involved in 52% of unintentional overdose deaths in 2021. The majority of unintentional drug and opioid-involved overdose deaths involve more than one drug, indicating a need to focus on more than opioids for prevention of overdose death. Highest rates of unintentional overdose deaths, 2017-2021, were among American Indian or Alaska Native persons, followed by Black or African American, White, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander persons. While the counts of unintentional drug overdose deaths are highest among persons who are White, the high rates among American Indian or Alaska Native and Black or African American persons indicate large inequities and the opportunity to reduce overdose deaths among racial and ethnic groups who are disproportionately affected. Through Component A, the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD) Overdose and Disparity Reduction Program (ODRP) will use data to inform resource placement, and guide action to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate linkage to care and education in community, public safety, and health systems in Salt Lake County’s growing overdose crisis within an unserved target population. ODRP will leverage the SLCoHD Health Equity Bureau, Analytics and Evaluation Bureau (AEB), and a proven and successful Community Health Worker (CHW) operations model to address health disparities and decrease overdose morbidity and mortality within the target population. Through this project it is anticipated that SLCoHD will achieve: increased use of CHW navigators to link and retain PWUD in care; increased data sharing and use to inform efforts and enhanced ability to respond; maintenance and creation of partnerships to support bidirectional referrals; enhanced surveillances capabilities; increased outreach, engagement and retention of PWUD; and overall decrease in non-fatal and fatal drug overdoses by 10%.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).