CDC Gives Santa Clara County $11.1M To Tackle Overdose Deaths

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County's Public Health Department will receive more than $11 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address the rapid rise in overdose deaths linked to opioids and stimulants.

According to the county, that money will help local health officials collaborate with community partners to accomplish key goals:

• Get more and better data on the problem, and use it in program activities.
• Ensure clinicians and health systems adopt best practices for opioid prescribing, overdose prevention, and substance use treatment.
• Provide harm reduction supplies and education to prevent complications of substance use.
• Enhance public awareness and reduce stigma.
• Connect people to treatment and help them stay in treatment.

Deaths linked to opioid overdoses more than tripled from 61 in 2018 to 195 last year, and the county has continued to navigate a surge in fentanyl deaths this year. According to county data, opioids, methamphetamine or a combination of both accounted for almost 87 percent of all drug overdose deaths last year.

"This funding will improve access to treatment, services, and harm reduction supplies we know prevent needless death by offering our partner agencies the support and access to the data and science they need to do their work well," said Dr. Sarah Rudman, the county's deputy health officer. "Providing these life-saving services is about meeting people where they are in their journey to keep them from harms caused by drug use or disease."