Improve Lives, Prevent Deaths: Guide for Community Organizations & Policymakers with Actionable Strategies for Preventing Overdose
05/15/2025
Overdose deaths and opioid use disorder continue to affect people in Washington State. Communities have made significant efforts to address this issue, but building a comprehensive and successful approach can be challenging.
Fortunately, there is strong evidence about which strategies are most likely to be effective. A comprehensive response braids multiple strategies to develop holistic supports for people with different needs.
This new guide from the ADAI Center for Community-Engaged Drug Education, Epidemiology & Research (CEDEER) highlights actionable strategies communities can use to prevent overdose deaths and the evidence that supports them.
It also describes how to integrate these strategies within a comprehensive framework to address the health needs of people who use drugs.
Specific topics include:
- Evidence-based and evidence-informed strategies
- Priority populations and settings
- Creating a holistic opioid overdose response plan
- Evaluation metrics
- Examples of essential and innovative programs
- Examples of existing opioid/stimulant response plans
- Resources
