SAFE GC Coalition: 2024 NYSDOH Opioid Annual Report

According to the 2024 NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) Opioid Annual Report, both fatal and nonfatal overdoses involving opioids have increased since 2010. While efforts had initially slowed increases in fatal overdose, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts resulted in another sharp increase with opioid-related overdose deaths reaching historic levels of over 5,300 in 2022.

Provisional data by the CDC have shown that overdose deaths involving drugs in NYS have declined considerably during 2023 to early 2024. However, NYS remains cautiously optimistic and continues to focus on leveraging every tool available, from innovative prevention, treatment, harm reduction, to recovery services, to reach more New Yorkers who are impacted by the overdose epidemic.

The report discusses the state’s efforts to implement public health programming to prevent death from opioid overdoses. The State’s multi-pronged approach also includes a focus on building overdose response capacity within communities throughout the state via the Community Opioid Overdose Prevention programs.

Governor Hochul has highlighted the need to continue expanding and enhancing the public health approach to fight the opioid crisis. To that end, the NYSDOH and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) coordinate to enhance existing public health programs, interventions, and healthcare system-based approaches, as well as develop novel strategies and programs. Deploying a public health strategy to address the crisis includes, but is not limited to, prevention programs, harm reduction services, ensuring linkage to treatment and clinical care, strengthening public health surveillance and epidemiology, and implementing evidence-based community interventions

Consistent with the NYSDOH vision and mission, programs and interventions designed to fight the opioid crisis recognize historic and structural racism, rely on person-centered services and anti-stigma premises. Program and interventions are developed and implemented based on the following premises:

• Historically, communities of color bore the brunt of the war on people who use drugs. Racial equity and health equity should be at the forefront of strategies to respond to the opioid crisis.

• Addressing social determinants of health and each person’s specific needs are critical components to successfully implementing meaningful person-centered public health interventions. A significant group of people who do have a substance use disorder (SUD) and/or for whom drug treatment has failed, do not see drug treatment as the solution.

• The risk of a fatal overdose is not only among those persons with a SUD. In the present illicit substance landscape, mainly driven by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and other novel psychoactive substances, an overdose may happen with little or no prior problematic drug use.

The NYSDOH has used evidence-based strategies and implemented and supported a wide range of programs focused on primary prevention (interventions designed to reduce the exposure to opioids and associated risks), secondary prevention (aimed at diagnosing and treating SUDs) and tertiary prevention designed to prevent life-threatening and adverse outcomes associated with drug use including infectious disease prevention.

Research on the opioid epidemic and the prevention of opioid overdose mortalities repeatedly discuss the need for policymakers to quickly advance legislation to address gaps in drug prevention, harm reduction and treatment, including efforts to improve access to naloxone, telehealth and methadone. It is imperative that policymakers continue to support and develop ongoing comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to address this issue.

To recognize the signs of overdose and take advantage of the resources available through Opioid Overdose Prevention Program to help those in need. People with questions or requests for additional information should contact opioidprevention@health.ny.gov.

The York State Department of Health (the Department) oversees the health, safety, and well-being of New Yorkers utilizing new developments in science as critical tools in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. To read the 2024 Opioid Annual Report please visit https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_opioid_annual_r....

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.