Olmsted County is implementing new strategies to combat the rising issue of overdose deaths. Starting in January 2024, a dedicated team will convene to analyze cases of fatal overdoses, aiming to create tailored prevention and intervention methods for the local community. This initiative is spearheaded by Monica Ziebell, team lead for the county’s Drug and Alcohol Response Team (DART).
The overdose fatality review team will comprise representatives from various sectors, including law enforcement, healthcare, public health, and substance use disorder treatment. Their task involves a comprehensive examination of not just the circumstances surrounding each fatal overdose but also the broader life history of each individual. Ziebell emphasized the importance of this localized approach, stating, “What works in a different county isn’t necessarily what’s going to be applicable here.”
Comprehensive Review of Overdose Cases
The team will conduct interviews with next of kin and assess the deceased’s interactions with various support systems, such as probation services, Child Protective Services, and healthcare facilities. Ziebell explained that this thorough examination will help identify critical moments when intervention could have changed outcomes.
“Maybe it is something that we could be doing in schools that would impact folks in childhood,” said Abby Tricker, a community health specialist with Olmsted County Public Health Services. She highlighted the potential for targeted screenings during healthcare appointments as another avenue for intervention.
On November 4, 2024, Ziebell and Tricker presented details about the review team and a new response plan during a meeting of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners. The initiatives are backed by the county’s opioid settlement funds, which also contributed to the establishment of the DART team in 2024.
Addressing Overdose Clusters and Trends
In tandem with the review team, Olmsted County will introduce an overdose spike response team. This team will coordinate responses to clusters of overdoses and facilitate communication between state and local agencies. Tricker mentioned that the Minnesota Department of Health will monitor different tiers of overdose spikes, with plans to finalize the response strategy by the end of 2024.
“We’re hoping that that plan can be created by the end of this year,” she stated. The plan will undergo testing in a tabletop exercise in January 2025, preparing the county for potential spikes in overdose cases.
Recent data from the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office indicates a decline in overdose deaths, with 19 fatalities reported in 2024, a significant decrease from a peak of 56 deaths in 2022. Despite this improvement, Tricker cautioned that statewide overdose deaths appear to be on the rise in 2025, particularly with notable increases observed in June and September.
The establishment of the overdose fatality review team aims to provide deeper insights into these trends, potentially uncovering underlying factors contributing to the increase in overdose incidents. “Having the overdose fatality review team up and running,” Tricker noted, “we might be able to better understand why that is happening.”
Through these coordinated efforts, Olmsted County is positioning itself to tackle the complex challenges of substance use and overdose prevention at multiple levels, ensuring a comprehensive response to this critical public health issue.
