OVERDOSE RESPONSE STRATEGY

ORS MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Overdose Response Strategy is to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses by connecting public health and public safety agencies, sharing information and supporting evidence-based interventions.

PUBLIC HEALTH ANALYSTS
  • Strategically embedded within agencies such as health departments, fusion centers, medical examiners’ offices, universities and HIDTA Investigative Support Centers
  • Enhance overdose reporting systems and increase interagency collaboration
  • Develop relevant products to inform action and evidence-based responses
  • Facilitate rapid response strategies among key stakeholders during overdose events
  • Support the evaluation of promising and novel overdose prevention strategies
Key PHA Activities:
  • Develop and coordinate shared data systems that allow public health, law enforcement and others to respond quickly and effectively to the overdose crisis
  • Support the development and implementation of evidence-based responses to generate immediate reductions in overdoses
  • Promote evidence-based practices to prevent or reduce substance use and misuse
  • Promote the active engagement of local communities in the discussion, planning and implementation of ORS goals and activities
DRUG INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS
  • Assigned to the HIDTA or to a fusion center in their state
  • Mobilize public safety partners alongside the PHA to facilitate cross-sector work
  • Fill a critical gap in intelligence sharing by reporting cross-jurisdictional links
  • Leverage the DIO nationwide network to support information sharing on drug trafficking trends
  • Notifications when local residents are arrested on felony drug charges in other parts of the state or country
  • Partner with public health agencies and public health analysts to bridge communication gap with public safety
  • DIOs fill a critical gap in intelligence sharing by:
    1. reporting cross-jurisdictional links
    2. communicating interstate intelligence
    3. relaying case referrals between agencies
    4. developing timely intelligence reports for law enforcement audiences
  • Felony Arrest Notifications (FANs):
  • Track and relay drug-related felony arrests of out-of-state (non-local) residents and report this information to the individual’s home law enforcement agency and other law enforcement agencies with a vested interest

Ohio-Specific Notable Projects and Success Stories

  • Shawn Bain and Iva Reed offer stigma-reduction training to Law Enforcement, Ohio Jails and State Prisons, Hospitals, First-Responders, Universities, Public Health Departments, and beyond. This training is free-of-charge and covers diverse topics such as:
    1. The Neuroscience of Addiction
    2. The Genetics of Addiction
    3. Treatment and Recovery Best Practices
    4. Adverse Childhood Experiences
    5. Drug Trends
  • Iva and Shawn have partnered with the Ohio University Center for Population Health on opening a novel treatment jail in Logan County, Ohio. The Jail would operate as holding treatment for those struggling with Substance Use Disorder.
  • Iva was awarded the American Public Health Association 2026 Champion of Change award for her and Shawn Bain’s stigma-reduction curriculum in the state of Ohio; this was the second consecutive year Iva has won this award.
  • Shawn Bain won the 10-year Overdose Response Strategy Award at the 2026 ORS Conference in St. Louis, Missouri

Please reach out to Iva Reed or Shawn Bain to coordinate this free-of-charge training for your staff. We have virtual options for this training as well.

OHIO ORS CONTACTS:

Iva Reed | Ohio PHA
iva.reed@ohiohidta.org

Shawn Bain | Ohio DIO
Shawn.Bain@ohiohidta.org

Important Websites and Resources:

https://orsprogram.org/program-overview/
https://orsprogram.org/ors-teams/
https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/interventions/public-health-safety-resources.html
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9531982/
https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/alliance

Contact Us

Have Questions?
Get in touch!

Email us at info@ohiohidta.net

Ohio HIDTA Investigative Support Center —Cleveland, OH 44109
Mon-Fri: 9 AM – 6 PMSaturday: ClosedSunday: Closed