Policy & Practice August 2018

Data Sharing Drives Positive Outcomes What Social Services Agencies Need in the Opioid Battle

By Denise Winkler

that America’s opioid epidemic has left many broken souls in its wake. With estimated opioid-related overdose deaths now totaling more than 42,000 per year and annual costs associated with the epidemic topping $500 billion, the devastation is widespread in com- munities across the nation, impacting family, friends, and neighbors—people we know. In almost every case, an addict and their family will be involved with a lab- yrinth of federal, state, and local public and private systems that all collect information and provide services to the individual, and likely, the family. In some way, each system works to help. Yet, when it comes to helping that addict get clean and avoid a continued downward spiral or even death—these systems have failed. Why? They aren’t sharing information! It is no secret

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