The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and local and federal law enforcement partnered with County departments of Community Mental Health, Health, Social Services, Public Safety, the Medical Examiner’s Office, and the County Executive’s Office to launch the Opioid Response and Overdose Prevention Initiative (ORI) to address rising overdoses and overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic in Westchester County. The ORI brings together key stakeholders across Westchester County who work collaboratively to prevent overdoses and save lives. ORI partners meet regularly to do the following:

• Collaborate on public health and law enforcement data sharing.
• Create innovative strategies targeting emerging threat areas.
• Execute more effective education, training and distribution of Naloxone or “Narcan,” a vital tool for preventing fatalities in people at high risk for drug overdoses.
• Conduct more thorough data collection, analysis and provide greater transparency relating to overdoses.
• Increase community education, outreach and support services to populations in need.
• Increase access to addition, mental health, and co-occurring treatment, harm reduction and family support services, including substance use prevention services.
• Find and implement evidence-based treatment approaches for individuals with addiction who are also struggling with co-occurring mental health needs.