OFR Practitioner's Guide Menu

Recruit Your OFR Members

This module covers the overdose fatality review (OFR) team leadership roles and members, as well as how to recruit to ensure active participation by multidisciplinary members. It also covers how the OFR team fits into a larger infrastructure, including subcommittees and a governing committee.

OFR teams are multidisciplinary and include individuals who can share information about a decedent or contribute to the analysis of available data to make recommendations that will prevent future overdose deaths.

Recruiting OFR Members

Overdoses affect a variety of populations, neighborhoods, and communities. To effectively function and work toward the goal of preventing overdose deaths, OFR teams need a diverse set of members from disciplines and sectors that represent the community.

OFR team members are dedicated professionals who believe that overdoses are preventable, are well-regarded in the field, and have time to attend regular meetings and participate in follow-up activities.

Common OFR Members

Local health department official

Local law enforcement representative

Medical examiner/
coroner

Prosecutor

Local human services department official

Substance use treatment provider

Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) provider

Mental health social worker

Pain management clinician

Emergency department physician

Primary care provider

Pharmacist/
toxicologist

High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) public health analyst

Sheriff

Probation and parole office

Emergency medical service provider

Drug treatment court representative

Patient advocate

Child protective services representative

Substance use prevention professional

School counselor

Tribal elder, traditional leader

Community leader

Housing authority representative

Harm-reduction outreach professional

Lived experience

Self-Assessment Checklist

1) Recruit your OFR Members

Recruit your OFR Members

OFR is convened by a nonpolitical, neutral agency

Consistent participation and sharing of information by OFR members

Limit OFR to 10 to 35 members

Elected officials serve as guest members/ observers

Confidentiality is essential

Continually identify, recruit, onboard, and train new OFR members

Identify and recruit a governing committee

Next Module Plan Your Meeting

Appendix

Sample New Member Packet

Report - 5/13/2021

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This document is a sample new OFR member packet developed by the Union County Overdose Prevention & Fatality Review Coalition.
This document is a sample new OFR member packet.

Just Partnerships to Enhance Overdose Fatality Review

Podcast - 2/19/2021

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The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is the only state-based reporting system that covers all types of violent deaths, including homicides and suicides. It pools more than 600 unique data elements from multiple sources into an anonymous, usable database. Dr. Mallory O’Brien used her experience with NVDRS to improve the overdose fatality review process.

Listen along as she discusses leveraging partnerships to enhance overdose fatality reviews, their impact on communities with substance abuse problems, and the historical context that led to fatality reviews in this episode of Just Science.

This season is in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program funding to respond to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to services.

This episode of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence [Award 2016-MU-BX-K110].
Dr. Mallory O’Brien, Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, discusses how partnerships can enhance overdose fatality reviews.

Approaching OFR Partners

Report - 1/27/2021

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This document was developed by a local OFR team and summarizes the five steps that should be done to effectively recruit partners to participate in an OFR.
This resource provides steps for effectively approaching OFR partners.

OFR Project Management Tool Demonstration

Video - 1/27/2021

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This video walks the viewer through how to modify and use the OFR Project Management Template Gantt chart.
View a video demonstrating how to use the OFR Project Management Template Gantt chart.

OFR Project Management Tool Instructions

Report - 1/27/2021

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This document walks the reader through how to modify and use the OFR Project Management Template Gantt chart.
This document explains how to use the OFR Project Management Template Gantt chart.

OFR Project Management Template

Report - 1/27/2021

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The tool was developed by a public health analyst to assist local OFR teams in scheduling necessary steps to begin an OFR initiative. The steps and information are based on the Overdose Fatality Review: A Practitioner's Guide to Implementation.
This Gantt chart template serves as a project management implementation timeline development tool for OFR teams.

Overdose Response Strategy (ORS)

Online Resource - 12/15/2020

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The ORS is an unprecedented and unique collaboration between public health and public safety, created to help local communities reduce drug overdoses and save lives by sharing timely data, pertinent intelligence, and innovative strategies. The ORS is implemented by state teams made up of Drug Intelligence Officers and Public Health Analysts, who work together on drug overdose issues within and across sectors and states. By sharing information across sectors, the ORS is growing the body of evidence related to early warning signs and prevention strategies. With the information shared, and programs inspired by the ORS, the program is helping communities and individuals make healthier, safer choices. The mission of the ORS is to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses by connecting public health and public safety agencies, sharing information, and supporting evidence-based interventions.
The ORS is a public health/safety collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 21 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas.

Opioid Fatality Review Boards: State Laws

Report - 12/10/2020

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Some states have legislation to support OFR. Knowing what states have state statute supporting OFR and what it entails is useful to OFR teams within these states. It can also be useful to states without OFR statute to reference in the development of their own statute(s). This report was developed by Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA).
This document summarizes state laws related to overdose fatality review (OFR).

Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) Program Overview

Sample - 9/20/2020

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The ORS was created to help local communities reduce drug overdoses and save lives by sharing timely data, pertinent intelligence, and innovative strategies. The mission of the ORS is to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses by connecting public health and public safety agencies, sharing information, and supporting evidence-based interventions.
The Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) is an unprecedented and unique collaboration between public health and public safety.

Overdose Fatality Review Teams: Partnerships with PDMPs

Webinar - 8/11/2020

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Also included in the webinar are the topics of challenges of participating and sharing data and how the challenges may be overcome and a discussion of how PDMP programs may build a relationship with their local OFRs.
This webinar highlights OFRs and the benefits of OFR and PDMP partnerships.

Sample: OFR Recruiting Letter

Sample - 7/22/2020

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Sample letter text that may be used to recruit new OFR members.
Sample: OFR Recruiting Letter

Sample Checklist: OFR Launch

Sample - 7/21/2020

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List of activities that need to be accomplish before launching and convening an OFR.
Sample Checklist: OFR Launch