The Response In Rhode Island

Opioid overdose continues to be the leading cause of accidental death in RI. In 2018, opioids were responsible for 314 deaths in Rhode Island.

Opioids include both heroin and prescription painkillers, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl. Whether they come from a pharmacy or are bought on the street, the effects of opioids on the body are the same, and taking too much can be fatal.

Substance use disorder, emergency room visits, and fatal overdoses have reached epidemic proportions across the nation and the effects of opioid dependency are profound for individuals, families, and communities.

Fortunately, there are effective strategies for addressing this crisis and reducing the number of deaths due to opioids.

Rhode Island’s action plan, implemented in 2016, involves increasing the number of people in MAT (medication-assisted treatment), decreasing opioid/benzodiazepine prescriptions, and increasing naloxone distribution.

Rhode Island’s action plan to combat the opioid crisis is already showing to be effective. 2017 was the first year there was a decrease in overdose deaths in almost a decade.

To learn more about The Governor’s Prevention and Intervention Task Force Action Plan, visit Prevent Overdose RI. Prevent Overdose RI is the official website of the Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force Action Plan. It includes how to prevent, recognize, and respond to an overdose, the latest data to track the progress of the Task Force Action Plan, safer use/treatment/recovery resources, and more.