About

OD Stat is a team of experts from diverse backgrounds that looks into the lives of selected Philadelphians who have died of a drug overdose. They do this to try to find ways that the City might help others before it’s too late.

The OD Stat team includes staff from the Managing Director’s Office, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. Four times a year, OD Stat completes in-depth analyses of the lives of four people lost to an accidental drug overdose. During these reviews, OD Stat seeks to better understand the complex issues surrounding substance use and overdose risk in Philadelphia.

The reviews strive to honor the stories and lives of the people who have died. These stories provide context to the data that the Health Department collects about overdoses and substance use. This information can help create or improve policies and programs in Philadelphia.

OD Stat reviews information from:

• Prisons.
• Police.
• Probation/Parole.
• Homeless Services/Street Outreach.
• Human Services.
• Substance Use/Behavioral Health Treatment Records.
• Infectious Disease Testing.
• Emergency Services.

The OD Stat team also reviews medical records from area hospital systems. When it’s possible, the team speaks with friends and family of the person who died. They look for any missed opportunities where someone might have been able to intervene to help the person. They look to see if there are policies or programs that the City could create or update to prevent future deaths.

OD Stat shares their recommendations with other agencies, and they work to overcome barriers that might stand in the way of bringing about needed changes.