Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy has received funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to develop an overdose prevention website in response to the growing overdose epidemic in Pennsylvania. The overall goal of this project is to develop a meaningful, evidence-based resource that can support efforts to reduce overdose and overdose deaths. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Single County Authorities of Allegheny, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Dauphin, Delaware and Westmoreland counties have collaborated with PERU on this important project.

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PittPharmacy faculty member Janice L. Pringle, PhD is the director of  Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU)

The launch of the site was featured in the NACDS top of the news for September 8, 2014.

 

OverdoseFreePA is a public access website that includes 1) overdose death statistics in close-to-real-time; 2) presentations and curricula tailored to specific audiences (i.e., the public, Substance Use Disorder treatment professionals, criminal justice personnel, healthcare professionals, and school and community leaders); 3) strategies for building and maintaining community coalitions that address overdose prevention; 4) an expert Speaker’s Bureau; and 5) information about recovery.

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