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Alcohol and Other Drug Death Review

A Good Idea

Description

Humboldt County Health and Human Services Public Health Branch established an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Death Review Panel. Humboldt County has had one of the highest AOD-related death rates of all California counties. The AOD Death Review was established to help clarify why the death rate is so high and what might be done to prevent such deaths. The AOD Death Review Panel reviews four deaths at each of four sessions per year. Recommendations are recorded to facilitate follow through.

Goal / Mission

The goal of this program is to involve community partners in reviewing individual deaths, generating recommendations for improved community collaboration, and initiating new practices.

Results / Accomplishments

Although many of the review panel's recommendations have been acted upon, it is too early to expect an impact on the AOD death rate. Reviewing AOD-related deaths has helped promote changes in the community to help prevent such deaths. It has become clear that a Pain Clinic is needed to help prevent prescription drug overdoses and that availability of methadone treatment could significantly reduce heroin-related deaths. and utility of the project.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Humboldt County Public Health Branch
Primary Contact
Kathryn McHugh
529 I St
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 268-2120
Kmchugh@co.humboldt.ca.us
http://www.co.humboldt.ca.us/health/
Topics
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Health / Mortality Data
Organization(s)
Humboldt County Public Health Branch
Source
National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
Date of publication
2005
Location
Humboldt County, CA
For more details
https://eweb.naccho.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?site...

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A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.
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