NORRISTOWN, PA — Montgomery County has been selected as a recipient of a $4.4 million, 5-year cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program. The grant represents a transformative opportunity to strengthen ongoing efforts in combatting the overdose crisis and reducing overdose-related harms.
The CDC’s OD2A program plays a vital role in advancing the nation’s response to the opioid epidemic. OD2A supports funded jurisdictions to implement prevention activities and to collect accurate, comprehensive, and timely data on nonfatal and fatal overdoses. This data is used to enhance programs and surveillance efforts. With this grant, Montgomery County will be able to respond more quickly, effectively, and equitably to residents’ needs, using data to drive action to reduce overdose deaths and related harms.
“We are thrilled to award this grant to Montgomery County and support their continued effort to prevent drug overdose and improve the lives of residents,” said CDC Division of Overdose Prevention Director Grant Baldwin, PhD, MPH. “Through the OD2A program, the CDC is empowering jurisdictions with the necessary tools and resources to collect, analyze, and use data to inform prevention activities that make a significant impact in communities.”
“Montgomery County is committed to taking a collective community approach to combat the opioid epidemic that is affecting our nation,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. “We are grateful for the support of and partnership with the CDC, and we are proud to work together to prevent overdoses and protect the well-being of our community. This grant will make a lasting impact and provide hope to those affected by substance use disorders.”
Applying the Data to Action framework, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services will focus on increasing linkages to and retention in care through peer support, increasing adoption and use of harm reduction approaches among those who interact with people with substance use disorders, reducing stigma associated with seeking and accessing treatment, building partnerships, and strengthening the use of surveillance data.
More information about OD2A can be found here.
More information on Montgomery County Overdose Prevention can be found here.
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