Block by Block: Overdose Fatality Prevention Initiative

The Block by Block initiative identifies areas with high overdose deaths. We recruit residents and organizations living or working in those areas to take part in naloxone training to identify signs of overdose, administer naloxone and provide resources for treatment and support services as well as how to use fentanyl test strips. We give participants who complete the training naloxone and fentanyl test strip kits, resource materials for handing out, and window and yard signs alerting passersby that someone with naloxone administration training lives or works in the building.

Identifying target areas

In collaboration with the Statewide Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Buehler Center for Health Policy & Economics, we can identify hotspots in areas with high concentrations of opioid overdose deaths.

Collaborating with Recovery Support Outreach Groups

We reach out to other community organizations working in those areas to work together to plan for successful outreach strategies. We collaborate with community-based organizations Nicasa Behavioral Health Services and Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization (NIRCO) for their expertise in safety training for outreach workers and recovery support services.

For more information, contact Program Coordinator, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose to Action Initiative.