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Overdose prevention

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About our program

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, to address drug overdose. We work closely with other federal, state and local partners to accomplish the following:

  • Conduct public health surveillance of the drug overdose epidemic.

  • Work with the Department of Regulatory Agencies to make the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) easier to use for Colorado health care providers.

  • Support prevention in opioid misuse and overdose by using existing data to inform evidence-based public health approaches. Partner with organizations across the state to implement local, evidence-based, data-driven prevention initiatives to support prevention strategies. 

  • Align and leverage state resources dedicated to preventing drug overdoses.

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The publication of 2020 Census data has required changes in the way that Race and Hispanic Origin categories are represented.  The Census Bureau has worked hard to expand the information to code responses to the Race and Hispanic Origin questions on the Census form.  These changes resulted in an increase in the number of persons classifying themselves as “multi-racial” that is, selecting more than one race on their Census form.

These changes have been incorporated in updated drug overdose death data for 2020 -forward. 

Two notable changes in these updated categories are the separation of the “Asian” and “Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander” categories from the previous “Asian/Pacific Islander" category; and the addition of a “Two or more races” category.

These revisions require a break in the time frames presented since the race categories used in 2000-2019 overdose statistics are not fully comparable with these categories used for 2020-forward.  Thus, three separate data visualizations have been developed:

  • One to allow for the complete time frame 2000-2022 that does not include race or Hispanic origin;
  • One to allow for the time frame 2000-2019 that includes the prior race categories (“bridged race”) and Hispanic origin;
  • And one to allow for the time frame 2020-forward that includes the updated race categories and Hispanic origin.  

For inquiries about the Overdose Prevention Unit contact odprevention@state.co.us.

Overdose prevention

Overdose treatment

  • Stop the Clock Colorado - Find out where to obtain Naloxone to treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation.

  • Naloxone standing orders - How pharmacies, law enforcement, local public health agencies, and harm reduction organizations can get Naloxone standing orders.

  • Opioid overdose - How to recognize and treat an overdose.

  • Find treatment for substance use disorder - Colorado Behavioral Health Administration’s Licensing and Designation Database and Electronic Records System (LADDERS) offers this referral resource for information and services for prevention, treatment, and recovery from substance use and mental health conditions.

  • Own Path: Find licensed behavioral health providers in your area.

Resources

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  • Legislative Updates: The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention works with the Colorado General Assembly to provide reliable information about prescription drug use and misuse and possible policies and regulations.
  • WTFentanyl-Factual information from emergency physicians, toxicologists, and addiction medicine specialists about fentanyl exposure. The authors are experienced with fentanyl — both caring for patients with overdoses as well as using it medically to treat pain, and created this resource to dispel myths related to fentanyl.

 To join a Consortium work group or mailing list, fill out the contact form