Santa Clara County launches new services to prevent overdoses and save lives
Public Health Department website centralizes county resources and overdose data.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. – Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is launching a website with resources for overdose prevention and treatment, and a new data dashboard. New data released from Public Health show overdose deaths increased dramatically in Santa Clara County in the last 10 years, reaching a peak of 353 in 2022 before falling to 317 in 2023; this is the first decline in reported overdose deaths since 2014. Public Health is increasingly reaching more people who need and seek overdose prevention services. 1770 clients participated in the Department’s harm reduction efforts in 2023. This is a 46 percent increase from 2022 and more than a 150 percent increase since 2020.
The new community resource at odfreescc.org, an overdose prevention hub website, has four main components:
- Post-Overdose Support for immediate help after surviving an overdose
- Online resource hub website for local substance use treatment, recovery services, and harm reduction supplies
- Data dashboard with county overdose statistics
- Training access and support for healthcare providers
Resources in English can be found at odfreescc.org. Resources in Spanish can be found at sccsinsobredosis.org. These resources will continue to evolve and grow to meet the needs of the community.
“Every day we lose children, adults, teens and seniors to drug overdoses, whether it is the intentional or inadvertent misuse of prescription drugs, accidental ingestion, or suicide, so it is critical we do everything we can to prevent these deaths,” said Susan Ellenberg, president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. “One of the keys to prevention is information and education. This new website provides critical information that can help prevent tragedies and, just as importantly, provide post-overdose support for immediate help after surviving an overdose.”
“This cause is personal to me because my family is one of the countless millions who have lost a loved one to an overdose. We have an opportunity to save more lives locally. Everyone now has more pathways to get treatment and recovery. I hope other counties and cities work with us to end this opioid crisis,” said County Supervisor Otto Lee.
“As we confront the opioid crisis, I’m grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to work with organizations like the Santa Clara County Opioid Overdose Prevention Project (SCCOOPP). The work they do is truly life-changing,” said County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who chairs the County’s Health and Hospital Committee. “Through public awareness campaigns, training programs, and naloxone distribution, SCCOOPP is making a tangible difference in our community. Simitian added, “By educating the public, supporting those at risk, and partnering with local groups, such as our County Library District, we’re taking a really comprehensive approach to combat the dangers of fentanyl and other opioids. This multi-faceted effort saves lives, and also fosters a more informed community. I hope we can continue to support these programs; we have to work together to stem the tide on this Countywide crisis.”
“I refuse to stand by as children and families are engulfed by the opioid crisis. Opioid trend predictions of the fourth wave in the opioid epidemic has arrived at our doorstep. The dangerous combination of methamphetamine and fentanyl is the leading cause of drug-related deaths in Santa Clara County. Together, we can tackle the opioid crisis by expanding overdose prevention resources, like the online resource hub and availability of free naloxone kits, and addressing its root causes of trauma, poverty, and socio-economic barriers,” said County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas.
“People who use drugs deserve easy ways to access the help they want, when they want it. Removing barriers to resources by making them easier to find can save lives, not just from overdoses but also other harms that come from substance use. This new website offering simple navigation for life-saving resources, and accessible data for broader public awareness is the result of direct feedback from people with lived experience and those working to make a difference,” said Dr. Sarah Rudman, Deputy Health Officer at County of Santa Clara Public Health Department.
Post-Overdose Support Team
The Post-Overdose Support Team is a new service from Public Health for people who recently survived an overdose. Through existing and growing partnerships, the support team provides evidence-based overdose prevention tools, such as naloxone, fentanyl test strips and other harm reduction supplies and services. Services includes referrals to treatment, help finding outpatient care, and support with housing, food, and health care.
Resource hub and trainings
The online resource hub website connects people seeking information to free harm reduction supplies like naloxone and fentanyl test strips, local treatment facilities, counseling services, and support groups for recovery. These resources are not just for patients. Organizations, healthcare providers, and others interested in supporting can also access training modules and tools to enhance their own overdose response and reduce drug-related stigma.
Data
A new dashboard from Public Health displays data for overdose deaths and non-fatal overdose, along with demographic information. Visitors can explore a county map with overdoses by ZIP code, compare overdoses by year, and track annual changes in which substances are most frequently seen in overdoses locally. Methamphetamine continues to be the most common substance in overdose deaths in Santa Clara County, but polysubstance (meaning two or more substances) use has been rising sharply since 2020. Visitors can also find demographics of people who have died from overdose in Santa Clara County, broken down by age, sex, race/ethnicity and region. This information helps the County and partners identify where to dedicate more resources.
Screenshot of County of Santa Clara Public Health overdose data dashboard, August 2024
These new Santa Clara County resources are funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Overdose Data to Action grant. In 2023, Public Health was awarded $11,150,000 over five years to collaborate with health systems, community partners, and people with lived experience to work on drug overdose prevention. Public Health is supporting Department and local partner efforts with data needed to carry out prevention and treatment activities equitably across the county.