City of Portland receives $1.5M Congressional Directives grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Community health overdose response program - the City Of Portland community health overdose response project funds will provide comprehensive treatment and recovery support services in the field for opioid use disorder, including evidence-based medications, where clinically indicated, in conjunction with psychosocial and other treatment and recovery support services. Geographic area served: City Of Portland, Oregon USA population size in the service area: 635,109 (us census estimate july 1, 2025) number of people to be served/trained annually and throughout the lifetime of the project: the City Of Portland is located within multnomah county which reported over 5,000 emergency drug-related incidents with nearly 600 deaths in 2025. The community health overdose response project serves this targeted population each year through response, aftercare, and medications for opioid use disorder (moud) within the service area. Age range and distribution of the population planned to be served/trained: the project provides direct support to any individual in portland, Oregon who may experience overdose related to substance use disorder (sud). Clinical characteristics of the population planned to be served: clients served by the community health overdose response project predominantly suffer from sud, severe and primary mental illness (spmi), and proximate health-related social needs (e.g. Homelessness; low incomes; lack of, or inability to access, health care, etc.). Strategies and interventions that will be implemented through the grant: provide comprehensive treatment and recovery support services in the field for opioid use disorder, including evidence-based medications, where clinically indicated, in conjunction with psychosocial and other treatment and recovery support services. Project goals: • provide immediate life-saving support to individuals who experience overdose. • assist these individuals with voluntary access to medications for opioid use disorder (moud) when clinically indicated. • assist individuals with non-emergency health concerns, providing immediate care and connecting them to long-term resources like primary care providers, health plans, treatment, and recovery options in the community. • educate the community on how to access the right healthcare services, so 9-1-1 is used only for true emergencies. • treat patients on scene, avoiding unnecessary ambulance transport and emergency department utilization, when clinically indicated. • divert non-urgent 9-1-1 calls away from fire engines and ambulances, improving response times and readiness for high-priority incidents. Measurable objectives: • respond to 70% of eligible overdose-related 9-1-1 calls, providing assessment, treatment, and overdose reversal medication when clinically indicated, and referral to appropriate care. • offer moud to 100% of eligible participants and provide a documented warm handoff to oud treatment and recovery services. • complete comprehensive medical, behavioral health, and social needs assessments for 100% of enrolled participants; provide referrals to appropriate services based on identified needs; and document successful linkage or follow-up for at least 80% of referred participants to improve continuity of care. • complete follow-up with at least 90% of participants within 24 hours to support continued engagement in treatment and recovery. • provide overdose prevention and healthcare navigation education to at least 500 community members to improve healthcare navigation and reduce non-emergency 9-1-1 utilization.