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Result 1: Improved Health Status for New Mexicans

P003: Drug overdose death rate per 100,000 population

Current Value

24.6 per 100,000

2017

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

  • The current epidemic of overdose death nationally has been driven by the increased use and misuse of opioid pain relievers. National surveys show that most people who have recently initiated heroin use abused prescription opioids prior.
  • Almost 500 New Mexicans die of drug overdose every year.  The highest death rates are among people aged 35-54 and in rural areas.
  • The Epidemiology and Response Division (ERD) Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program (PDOPP) is promoting improved prescribing practices, increased availability of naloxone to reverse overdoses, and increased access to treatment, including Medication Assisted Treatment.
  • ERD PDOPP worked with the Board of Pharmacy (BOP) to develop and distribute quarterly prescribing behaviors reports.  
  • Provided technical assistance to community work groups to implement the strategies.  Training was provided to pharmacies and law enforcement agencies regarding naloxone standing orders.  The ERD PDOPP worked with the health care licensing boards to update pain management rules for providers and assure the use of the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) by their prescribers.
  • NMDOH will implement a public education and media campaign regarding opioid safety. NMDOH will work with BOP to link the PMP to electronic health records and pharmacy management systems, and will work with managed care organizations to align third-party payer mechanisms with key aspects of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

Partners

  • NMDOH
  • New Mexico Human Services Department
  • New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department
  • University of New Mexico (UNM)
  • United States Drug Enforcement Agency
  • BOP
  • Overdose Prevention and Pain Management Advisory Council
  • Health care professional licensing boards
  • Regulation and Licensing Department
  • Health care professional associations
  • Health Councils
  • Pharmacies
  • Managed Care Organizations
  • New Mexico Hospital Association
  • Office of the Medical Investigator
  • Workers’ Compensation Administration
  • Department of Public Safety, State Police
  • High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
  • Local law enforcement agencies
  • Tribes

What Works

  • Maximizing the use of the PMP.
  • Improving controlled-substance prescribing practices through prescriber education.
  • Increasing public knowledge of the risks of controlled substances and of safe storage and disposal of medications.
  • Increasing the availability of treatment for drug dependence.
  • Increasing the availability of naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose.

Strategy

  • Collect, analyze, and interpret public health surveillance data on drug use and related harms.
  • Disseminate findings on drug use and related harms to all stakeholders and respond to inquiries.
  • Provide support to external partners in planning and evaluating strategies that prevent drug use and related harms.
  • Provide technical assistance to public health partners on effective approaches for monitoring and reporting findings on drug use and related harms.
  • Support the health care licensing boards’ enforcement for controlled substance prescribing.
  • Provide feedback reports on controlled substance prescribing to practitioners.
  • Provide naloxone to individuals.
  • Increase naloxone carry and administer programs in law enforcement.
  • Increase sharing of public health and public safety information between NMDOH and law enforcement agencies to reduce access to controlled substances.
  • Work with county multi-disciplinary work-groups in high-burden communities to develop local responses.

FY18 Annual Progress Summary

Through current and planned efforts the New Mexico Department of Health Epidemiology and Response Division is working collaboratively with many internal and external stakeholders to reduce the number of overdose deaths in New Mexico.  Efforts in FY18 have established a solid foundation on which FY19 efforts will be based on.

FY19 Annual Progress Summary

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.

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