The District of Columbia has been committed to combating the opioid crisis through initiatives that focus on reducing opioid use, misuse, and related deaths by implementing evidence-based strategies across prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. These efforts have led to a 33% decrease in fatal opioid overdoses from 2023 to 2024. The work continues.

The DC Department of Behavioral Health promotes access to a continuum of quality substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery support services.

• Prevention services are aimed at reducing factors that increase the risk of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and abuse among children and youth, as well as promoting the likelihood of healthy, drug-free youth and their families.
• Treatment services are based on individual assessment and referrals for appropriate levels of substance abuse treatment including outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, detoxification and stabilization, and medication assisted therapy.
• Recovery services include wrap-around services, such as care coordination, mentoring, coaching, educational support, job readiness and training, public transportation and other services to support and sustain recovery. These services build on hope which is the foundation of recovery. The recovery process is very personal and recognizes that substance use disorder is a chronic disease and setbacks may occur. Resilience is key to sustained recovery.

The Government of the District of Columbia has compiled a detailed dashboard that provides up-to-date and in-depth analysis surrounding events and characteristics of individuals who experienced non-fatal and/or fatal opioid overdoses in the District.

See the data HERE.