This shows the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths involving all opioids. Opioid use and related deaths have risen in NH and VT over the past 10 years with more dramatic increases in NH since 2013. In 2017, 424 people in NH and 114 people in VT died from opioid-related overdoses. In 2016 and 2017, NH was among the four states with the highest opioid overdose death rates in the US. The rate in NH was 34 per 100,000 population in 2017, compared to 20 in VT and 14.9 in the US overall. Many factors have contributed to the increase in opioid use and opioid-related deaths, including the introduction of new opioid pain medications in the early 2000s and increases in access to synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanyl. NH and VT are working to increase access to treatment; develop new rules and practices for opioid pain medication prescribing; equip EMS providers with overdose-reversal medications; and increase use of effective Medication Assisted Treatments and Syringe Services Programs. Both states have seen the rate of increase in opioid deaths moderate in recent years, suggesting that response strategies are beginning to have an impact.
Data source: Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics data, and CDC MMWR. 

Dartmouth-Hitchcock engages in mulitple strategies to improve care for persons with opioid use disorders as part of it's Substance Use Mental Health Initiative, including serving as one of NH's regional Doorway services, providing easy access to screening, assessment, referrals, and treatment to persons with opioid use disorders; serving as the administrative lead organization for the Lebanon-Cheshire 'Region 1' Integration Delivery Network promoting integration of routine screening for substance use in primary care, emergency, and hospital settings; increasing the number of clinical providers who can prescribe medications that assist in the treatment of opioid use disorders; beginning to deploy substance use recovery coaches in clinical settings; providing opioid use disorder care in our Addiction Treatment Program; providing specialized care for women with opioid use disorders who are pregnant through our Moms in Recovery Program; and working to reduce the stigma of seeking assistance for substance use needs.  In community settings, Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Community Health Team  facilitates regional prevention coalitions, support unused medication take back events, hosts regional trainings in the use of naloxone as an overdose reversal medication; faclitates the regional Strong Families Strong Starts to link pediatric practices and family resource organizations to better serve families affected by substance use disorders. 

Dartmouth-Hitchcock engages in mulitple strategies to improve care for persons with opioid use disorders as part of it's Substance Use Mental Health Initiative, including serving as one of NH's regional Doorway services, providing easy access to screening, assessment, referrals, and treatment to persons with opioid use disorders; serving as the administrative lead organization for the Lebanon-Cheshire 'Region 1' Integration Delivery Network promoting integration of routine screening for substance use in primary care, emergency, and hospital settings; increasing the number of clinical providers who can prescribe medications that assist in the treatment of opioid use disorders; beginning to deploy substance use recovery coaches in clinical settings; providing opioid use disorder care in our Addiction Treatment Program; providing specialized care for women with opioid use disorders who are pregnant through our Moms in Recovery Program; and working to reduce the stigma of seeking assistance for substance use needs.  In community settings, Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Community Health Team  facilitates regional prevention coalitions, support unused medication take back events, hosts regional trainings in the use of naloxone as an overdose reversal medication; faclitates the regional Strong Families Strong Starts to link pediatric practices and family resource organizations to better serve families affected by substance use disorders.