Wednesday, January 15, 2025
1/15/2025
Kansas Overdose Data to Action (KS OD2A) will enhance the KS Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) capacity to track and prevent nonfatal/fatal overdoses and identify emerging drug threats. KS OD2A will create timely, detailed, comprehensive, and actionable surveillance data, including toxicology testing for both fatal/ nonfatal overdose. KS OD2A will provide patient navigation to link people who use drugs (PWUD) to vital recovery resources such as naloxone, medical care, and substance use treatment. For Strategy 1, KS OD2A will enhance KS laboratories to improve capacity for testing related to nonfatal overdose. KS OD2A will continue to analyze/report hospital/Emergency Department (ED) syndromic surveillance data for CDC’s DOSE system in Strategy 2. KS OD2A will continue Strategy 3 mortality surveillance by reporting on the characteristics/substances detected in unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths in SUDORS. KS OD2A will collect data from 3 required data sources: death certificates, medical examiner/coroner reports, and postmortem toxicology results to capture information on risk factors and social determinants of health for overdose death. KS OD2A will increase data dissemination, sharing and availability, and will expand use of data to inform the implementation of prevention and response efforts, especially for groups disproportionately affected by overdose. KS OD2A will use data to inform prevention and harm reduction interventions, to address high burden areas of the state, and to ensure a targeted approach for groups who experience disparities, including Black and Latino Kansans. KS OD2A will propose optional and competitive Strategies 4 & 5 to conduct bio surveillance of biological specimens from suspected overdoses in EDs and linking criminal justice data and EMS data with fatal drug overdose data. For Strategy 6a, KS OD2A will implement patient navigation in EDs to provide post overdose linkage to care. KS OD2A will conduct education for health systems/clinicians, including a statewide Opioid & Stimulant Conference and MOUD Project ECHO Learning Collaborative. Education will include evidence-based practices for pain management, SUD screening/diagnosis, PDMP usage, stigma reduction, linkage to care, medication for opioid use disorder (OUD), and stimulant use disorder (StUD). Implementation will decrease high-risk opioid prescribing, increase the use of evidence-based pain care modalities, increase health system capacity to provide care for OUD/StUD, linkage to care, and equitable delivery and improved access to care for KS’ underserved populations. In Strategy 6b, KS OD2A will continue to support the KS Board of Pharmacy’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to ensure bidirectional interstate data sharing and to promote universal PDMP use by clinicians. KS OD2A will enhance partnerships with public safety organizations in Strategy 7 to provide training on opioids/stimulants, recovery, naloxone, and harm reduction through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. KS OD2A will partner with the KS Bureau of Investigation to analyze drug seizure data to inform overdose prevention efforts. KS OD2A will continue to provide naloxone training in partnership with the KS Department of Aging and Disability Services’ free naloxone distribution program. KS OD2A will collaborate to reduce overdose by convening partners, including Region 7’s Opioid Response System/Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas and Opioid Rapid Response Program, to develop a comprehensive pain clinic closure response plan. KS OD2A will provide patient navigation through Certified Peer Mentors (CPM) to link PWUD to vital harm reduction resources (naloxone) in Strategy 8. CPMs will also link/reconnect PWUD to following discharge from acute care (e.g., residential SUD treatment, Oxford House) to SUD recovery-oriented systems of care and SDOH resources in the community to prevent treatment interruption in Strategy 9.
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).