Health Data

June 4, 2025 | Data Collection, Health Data, Law Enforcement, Opioids, Public Health, Public Safety, Reports & Studies, Substance Use Disorder

Beginning in 2020, the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) undertook an ongoing research project to identify both currently-in-force statutes and recently proposed legislation related to overdose fatality review (OFR), throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, titled “Overdose Fatality Review Boards: State Laws” (previously updated February 2021). This document represents the latest iteration of that project, with information updated through December 2023. As of that date, 18 states have laws authorizing the establishment of state-level and/or locality-level OFRs....

April 14, 2025 | Data Collection, Health Data, Recovery, Reports & Studies, Substance Use Disorder, Treatments

In 2024, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) convened an interagency working group (IWG) comprised of 30 federal agencies to identify federal recovery research gaps and opportunities on recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). This article outlines the process undertaken to identify these research opportunities and describes four core research topic areas and three cross-cutting themes and provides the rationale for their selection. It also identifies potential pathways for recovery research, including evaluation and data collection activities, and discusses challenges and potential opportunities for recovery research....

February 11, 2021 | Controlled Substances, Health Data, Model Laws, Public Health, Public Safety

Overdose fatality review (OFR) is a powerful tool that can be used to identify and respond to community-specific patterns related to drug overdose deaths. LAPPA’s Model Overdose Fatality Review Teams Act was written in consultation with a host of subject matter experts and creates a legislative framework for establishing county-level, multidisciplinary OFR teams in individual states. While overdose deaths occur nationally, OFRs established at the local level allow for the identification of challenges unique to a local area. This Model Act addresses the duties, responsibilities, and composition of OFR teams in order for them to properly examine and understand the circumstances leading up to a fatal overdose....