Del. Overdose Review Commission releases 2022 Annual Report

DELAWARE – The Delaware Drug Overdose Fatality Review Commission has released its second annual report to Governor John Carney and the General Assembly.

We’re told the report examined a sample of 108 cases of fatal overdoses that occurred in 2020, including data collected from death certificates, medical records, legal records, and treatment history.

The report found that 92.9% of decedents in the sample had fentanyl in their system at the time of death, with 42% of decedents having mental health diagnoses. Of those with mental health diagnoses, 83.3% suffered from depression, and 48.9% suffered from anxiety. Additionally, 30.8% of decent in the sample had a history of chronic pain, and of those, 68% suffered from chronic back pain.

Two recommendations were made in the report:

1. Incorporate mental health and trauma-centered practices into services addressing substance use disorder, moving towards a whole-person approach for treatment
2. Broaden non-opioid alternative options for individuals with chronic pain

These recommendations are made in addition to the 2021 recommendations, which also remain relevant:

1. Provide safe and secure housing through the empirically-backed Housing First model for unhoused or unstably housed individuals
2. Expand Continuing Education availability for Licensed Clinicians to increase knowledge of Trauma Intervention Services
3. Intervene for those whose contact with law enforcement does not result in arrest or incarceration and initiate substance abuse treatment services immediately following incarceration for inmates awaiting sentencing
4. Establish a notification system within the Prescription Monitoring Program to ensure prescribers are aware of patient non-fatal overdose(s)
5. Improve outreach and follow up with individuals who engaged in substance abuse-related treatment

“We are truly fortunate to have a robust community of support in the war against the opioid crisis in Delaware, but the battle is far from over,” said Kathy Jennings. “Now more than ever, DOFRC’s reports and the recommendations they generate are an essential beacon lighting the path forward.”