A collaboration between the University of Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Office of Addiction Response — funded by a $350,000 National Institute of Justice grant — is taking a new approach to help combat the growing overdose crisis in the region.
UC criminal justice researchers will conduct a study of data from emergency medical calls, overdose response teams and local coroner records to pinpoint areas or hot spots to determine where in Cincinnati overdoses are occurring most frequently.
With this information, a research team will then implement and study interventions aimed at reducing overdose incidents in these hot spots.
According to the most recent data, Cincinnati has experienced between 270 to 500 overdose deaths each year since 2020.
“The overdose epidemic has hit certain areas harder than others, and this project is focusing on identifying specific areas where overdoses are most concentrated,” says the study’s lead investigator Ben Feldmeyer, professor and criminal justice researcher in UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services.
A randomized trial that will test the effectiveness of several harm-reduction strategies is key to the project, Feldmeyer says. The team will place free, publicly accessible kits with the drug naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, as well as placing fentanyl test strips in strategic locations, giving people tools to prevent overdose deaths. In some areas, additional resources like educational materials and information about drug treatment programs will also be provided.
The project will focus on 36 hot spots, with half receiving the intervention and the other half serving as control groups. Researchers will track overdose incidents and gather feedback from the community to understand the impact of these efforts.
“Data collection will help us better understand where resources are most needed and how we can make a real difference," says study co-investigator Sarah Manchak, a UC associate professor of criminal justice. The research team includes co-investigator Cory Haberman, associate professor and director of the Institute of Crime Science.
The study will help assess whether these interventions can reduce overdose deaths and improve access to life-saving resources, especially in underserved communities, say the investigators.
In addition to the local impact, the project’s results could inform similar initiatives across the country as such harm-reduction strategies become more common in U.S. communities. The researchers will share their findings through reports, academic publications and public outreach efforts like community talks and policy briefs.
"We’re excited to work together with local partners to find innovative ways to reduce overdose deaths and support those in need," says Meagan Guthrie, director of the Hamilton County Office of Addiction Response.
This project, all say, aims to make a real difference in the fight against overdoses in Cincinnati, providing both immediate relief and long-term strategies to help people affected by substance abuse.