At a glance
The Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) in the CDC Injury Center works to monitor, prevent, and reduce harms associated with drug use, misuse, and overdose.
What we do
Vision
People thriving in connected and resilient communities without overdose.
Mission
Our mission is to monitor, prevent, reduce, and respond to overdose via a data-driven approach that is anchored to evidence-based and evidence-informed strategies.
Focus
We invest in three key focus areas, with prioritized areas of investments, that are guided by congressional intent and will help us achieve our Division's goals and support our mission. Data sharing, partnerships, and technical assistance are inherent in our approach to operationalize selected areas of investment.
- Strengthen surveillance of drug-related morbidity and mortality and adverse outcomes related to substance use in states, localities, territories, and tribes.
- Increase rigorous evaluation, applied research, and opportunities for linking and retaining persons with disproportionate risk for overdose and adverse outcomes related to substance use to harm reduction services, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support services.
- Identify and address shared risk and protective factors associated with substance use initiation and misuse and other comorbidities across the prevention continuum—including mental health and well-being.
Goals
- Reduce opioid and stimulant-involved overdoses.
- Identify and address emerging drug trends and associated drivers of overdose and drug use.
- Prevent drug use initiation.
Why it matters
Drug overdose remains a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States—in 2022, there were about 296 overdoses each day. The Injury Center is at the forefront of tracking the complex and changing nature of the drug overdose epidemic and implementing proven prevention strategies.
Not all overdoses have to end in death. The Injury Center is working to advance overdose prevention in communities across the country.
Our work
Strategic pillars
We implement a six-pillar data-driven approach to achieve our mission. These pillars include:
- Monitoring trends
- Building capacity at state and local levels
- Supporting clinicians and health systems
- Developing partnerships with public safety and community organizations
- Raising public awareness and reducing stigma
- Advancing applied research
