Making Recommendation Implementation Work for Your Jurisdiction: Collaboration, Community, and NaloxBoxes

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is legislatively charged with convening a statewide overdose fatality review (OFR) team. The team has experienced multiple challenges with identifying a dedicated governing committee that can provide the leadership and support necessary for implementation of state-level OFR recommendations. In light of these challenges, RIDOH utilizes a unique three-pronged approach to recommendation implementation:  

1. Collaboration with the Governor’s Overdose Task Force, creating opportunities for recommendations to inform the state’s Action Plan used to guide all overdose prevention efforts across the state 
2. Inclusion of ongoing, structured opportunities for community feedback about status of initiatives recommended by the OFR team
3. Provision of funding opportunities for local organizations to implement recommended initiatives 

This session will provide a description and concrete examples of each implementation strategy. It will also highlight an OFR recommendation that was successfully implemented utilizing one of these strategies to “turn the tide” in Rhode Island.