Ohio Overdose Prevention Network

March 11, 2020 | Agency

About Us

Mission: Coordinate multi-sector, statewide efforts to prevent drug overdose deaths utilizing data-informed strategies to implement policy, education, and harm reduction interventions.

Vision: An Ohio free from drug misuse, abuse, overdose, and death.

The Ohio Overdose Prevention Network (Ohio OPN), formerly the Prescription Drug Abuse Action Group (PDAAG), is a subgroup of the Ohio Injury Prevention Partnership (OIPP). It was created to focus specifically on the epidemic of drug overdose deaths.

The purpose of the Ohio OPN is to identify and implement actions for the prevention of drug misuse, abuse and overdose and to serve as a means of communication and collaboration on this topic among interested organizations, agencies and individuals throughout the state. The Ohio OPN strategic plan can be found here.

Specifically, the Ohio OPN is involved in the following:

Examining statewide data and producing materials to raise awareness about this issue
Prioritizing drug overdose as a public health threat
Determining drugs of abuse responsible for increasing death rates and access issues
Conducting regional forums in high risk areas to present data and discuss solutions
Developing and assisting with the development of state-level recommendations and strategies for increasing capacity to respond to this problem
Raising awareness of this issue in the media and among the public
- Stop Overdoses
- Take Charge Ohio
Conducting prevention programs in high risk areas
- Programs are currently being conducted in Butler, Clark, Columbus, Crawford, Dayton-Montgomery, Erie, Hancock, Kenton-Hardin, Licking, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Ross, Stark, Summit, Toledo-Lucas, Trumbull, Union and Vinton Counties.

Ohio Department of Health, Violence and Injury Prevention Section (VIPS)
Section Chief	Jolene Defiore-Hyrmer	jolene.Dhyrmer@odh.ohio.gov
Program Administrator	Sara Morman	sara.morman@odh.ohio.gov
Ohio Overdose Prevention Network
Chair	Tonya Wagler	waglert@starkhealth.org
Co-chair	Kathy Parrilla	heparril@co.trumbull.oh.us
ODH Liaison	Hilary Requejo	hilary.requejo@odh.ohio.gov
ODH Liaison – Infrastructure	Vacant
Data Subcommittee
Chair	Tyra Scherer	tscherer@clermontcountyohio.gov
ODH Liaison	Danielle Saunders	danielle.saunders@odh.ohio.gov
Harm Reduction Subcommittee
Chair	Angela Kaiser	akaiser@schd.org
ODH Liaison	Sierra Dantzler	sierra.dantzler@odh.ohio.gov
Pain Management Subcommittee
Chair	Kylie Jones	kyliej@zmchd.org
ODH Liaison	Audra Jordan	audra.jordan@odh.ohio.gov
Policy Subcommittee
Chair	Casey Smith	csmith@phdmc.org
ODH Liaison	Esther Benatar	esther.benatar@odh.ohio.gov

How to Join

To become a member of the OIPP or any of the OIPP action groups, please complete the online membership application. You will begin to receive meeting notifications and updates about the group's activities.

For more information about the group, please contact the Ohio Department of Health Violence and Injury Prevention Section at 614-466-2144.

What's New?

Save the Date! Ohio OPN's 2020 Conference will be Friday, August 21st at the Quest Conference Center in Columbus, OH.

2020 Pilot Projects have been awarded to the following agencies. Congratulations!

ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County – Will address racial disparities in drug court referrals by hosting three trainings on equity and inclusion best practices and proper referral processes.
Equitas Health Medical Center and Pharmacy – Will increase awareness, access and availability of naloxone on The Ohio State University’s campus; with special interest given to racial and ethnic minorities.
Family Recovery Center – Will Increase community knowledge of naloxone and increase access to kits available at multiple agencies.

Results from the 2019 Ohio OPN Survey are now available.

See a summary here.
See the entire answer set for each question here.

Newsletters

May 2019

August 2019

November 2019