In 2022, 435 Rhode Islanders lost their lives to overdose. This is the highest number of lives lost ever recorded to date in Rhode Island.
That’s more than the number of people who died in car accidents, murders, and suicides combined. To respond to this public health crisis, Rhode Island has developed a strategic plan to address the epidemic. Building on past accomplishments and progress from the original plan, the strategic plan was updated in 2019. This website — a data dashboard available to all — is designed to provide community members, health professionals, and policymakers with timely data to track Rhode Island’s progress toward reaching the goals outlined in the Action Plan. We offer the latest data on addiction and overdose in Rhode Island — as well as resources on preventing overdose for a variety of audiences, including loved ones of people who use drugs, Healthcare Professionals, and more.
Learn more about the Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force Action Plan.
Learn more about the Action Plan
The Governor’s Action Plan
Download the Governor’s Action Plan for addressing substance use and overdose.
Overdose Evidence update 2020
Action Plan update, 2019 through December 2021
Our Team
This project is an initiative of the Governor ’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force. The site was developed by researchers at Brown University School of Public Health, who worked closely with a number of key stakeholders.
Our agency partners
This project was made possible by the efforts of many individuals and organizations working to prevent overdose and save lives every day in Rhode Island. Partners of Prevent Overdose RI include:
Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS)
EOHHS’s mission is to ensure access to high quality and cost effective services that foster the health, safety, and independence of all Rhode Islanders.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH)
RIDOH’s mission is to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of Rhode Island. Through their Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program, RIDOH works to decrease drug overdoses and teach Healthcare Professionals how to prescribe safely.
The Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals (BHDDH)
BHDDH provides services to more than 50,000 Rhode Islanders with mental health and substance use issues, developmental disabilities, and chronic medical conditions. Their Office of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (SATS) plans, coordinates, and controls substance use treatment activities statewide.
The Rhode Island Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
OMB provides fiscal analysis, management support, and research to all of Rhode Island — including the public, the Governor, and State departments and agencies. The development team at Prevent Overdose RI works closely with the OMB Office of Performance Management to make sure that website data are up to date, accurate, and consistent with information available from other trusted sources.
Brown University School of Public Health
The Prevent Overdose RI development team includes students, staff, and faculty at the Brown University School of Public Health. The team is led by Brandon Marshall, an Associate Professor of Epidemiology, and is funded under contract with RIDOH through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Acknowledgements
We want to thank our many community organizations for their support in contributing their input and offering services on this website. We also thank our Task Force Work Group members for continuing to work to reduce overdose in our state. Finally, we thank our data contributors for keeping information on the website current and up-to-date.
Action Plan
With this plan, Rhode Island can reduce overdose deaths and save lives.
Task Force
You can support guidelines for safe and responsible prescribing to help make opioid use safer.