This is a website from the Health In Justice Action Lab that addresses many myths surrounding the opioid crisis that increase stigma, such as fentanyl exposure by first responders, misunderstandings of medications for opioid use disorder, and misinformed push back to harm reduction strategies, as well as an emphasize on the language we use to describe the opioid crisis.  

This report was generated through a legislative mandate by linking multiple data sets in Massachusetts. The aim was to better understand the opioid problem and those at most risk.

The prevalence of opioid use disorder, as well as nonfatal and fatal overdoses, are estimated and at-risk populations are identified. The results of this report are able to inform policy and stimulate research. 

This report details recommendations for the US government on how to optimize mandatory and discretionary spending on opioid related population health outcomes. The author's recommendations fall under the four categories of mandatory spending, discretionary spending, data and metrics, and governance. 

This academic paper conducted a review of economic evaluations of community distribution of naloxone, specifically assessing quality and applicability to diverse contexts and settings. Community distribution of naloxone is a core component of harm reduction strategies. The authors concluded that these programs are cost-effective and a worthwhile investment. 

This is a presentation from the South East Area Health Education Center (SEAHEC) in Wilmington, NC that describes the collaborative nature of the community opioid response in this area. There is specific focus on the different types of stakeholders involved. 

This is a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) that provides guidelines that aim to reduce the number of deaths from opioid overdose by providing evidence-based recommendations on the availability of naloxone for people likely to witness an opioid overdose along with advice on the resuscitation and post-resuscitation care of opioid overdose in the community.

This is an academic paper that assessed community readiness in counties in North Carolina and its relationship to county-level opioid-related mortality and morbidity. Community readiness has been linked to collective action from communities to implement comprehensive responses to the public health issue. Findings indicate that counties with higher opioid-related mortality also had higher community readiness. 

This is a report which offers information on how local health departments in New York can improve their responses to the opioid epidemic with a focus on post-overdose response interventions. The report serves as a blueprint for community partnerships aiming to prevent opioid overdose related deaths by connecting at risk individuals with low threshold services. 

This is a research report from the Urban Institute that provides a scope of the opioid crisis and its far-reaching impacts. Next, criminal justice responses are discussed and specific programs are highlighted. 

This is an article in Health Affairs that describes the wide-ranging impact of the opioid crisis on Kentuckians, highlights programs and initiatives around the state to address the crisis, and discusses the role of research to inform interventions.  

This is a report from the Vera Institute that describes the implementation of a program in the New York prison system to train and equip those reentering society with naloxone. Results suggest that this is an innovative strategy to get naloxone in the hands of a high-risk population. 

This is a report from the New York State Association of Counties that highlights the different programs that have been implemented to address the opioid crisis across counties in New York. Most of the county responses were led through the actions of coalitions and task forces.