Saturday, September 7, 2024
9/7/2024
Opioid and drug-related morbidity and mortality impacts quality of life and is costly to individuals and medical systems. The complex and evolving nature of the overdose crisis highlights the need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and cohesive public health approach which would be informed by the efforts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Data to Action in States Grant (CDC-RFA-CE-23-0002). States, territories, and local partners need access to complete and timely data on prescribing, and on nonfatal and fatal drug overdoses to understand the scope, direction, and contours of the epidemic. Tools and resources are needed to use data to inform and target prevention and response efforts. The Florida Department of Health’s development and maintenance of surveillance systems are steps towards increasing the efficacy of near real-time data-analysis to combat the overdose crisis in Florida through evidence-informed actions but additional work through this proposed grant is necessary to improve system efficacy and responsiveness. Florida’s Overdose Data to Action in States (FLOD2A-S) program strategies and activities will include improving the ability of the National Syndromic System Platform (NSSP) and the Florida Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE-FL) system to collect and disseminate timely emergency department (ED) data, to collect and disseminate descriptions of drug overdose death circumstances through the Florida Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology (FL-DOSE)/SUDORS systems, increase surveillance projects with the Public Health Laboratory to increase detection practice through biological specimens, enhance statewide data linkage capabilities, as well as complete comprehensive prevention strategies and build on partnerships. The FLOD2A-S goals are to improve health outcomes through the implementation of evidence-based and innovative surveillance and prevention efforts. Long-term outcomes include: 1) Decreased fatal drug overdoses overall, including prescription opioid and illicit opioid overdose death rates 2) Decreased rate of opioid misuse and substance use disorder, 3) Increased provision of evidence-based treatment for substance use disorder, 4) Decreased rate of ED visits due to substance use, and 5) Increased and improved access to treatment, recovery programs, and prevention to populations disproportionately affected. To accomplish these objectives, FLOD2A-S will partner with agencies and collaborators statewide including the Department of Children and Families and Law Enforcement, and the Medical Examiner’s Commission to work with all relevant data systems including NSSP/ESSENCE-FL, PDMP, FL-ESOOS, and the Florida Violent Death Reporting System.
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).
