Florida Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology (FL-DOSE)

The Overdose Epidemic in Florida

Data from the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics indicates Florida's unintentional and undetermined drug overdose deaths increased by 42% during the pandemic, from 5,019 deaths in 2019 to 7,137 deaths in 2020. Furthermore, Florida's overdose rate increased by 37% in the same time frame, from 25.5 per 100,000 to 35 per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In recent years, drug overdose deaths have begun to decline. According to the Florida Medical Examiner Commission’s (MEC) Drugs Identified and Deceased Persons 2023 Annual Report, total drug related deaths decreased by 7% and opioid-related deaths decreased by 11% compared to 2022. Opioids and stimulants, among other similar acting substances, were the cause of death in over 50% of deaths when present. Florida's Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council 2024 Annual Report acknowledges the efforts of the state to create and modify policies to combat substance related outcomes in Florida, including the recent passage of the Florida Prescription Drug Reform Act (SB 1550) in 2023. Although progress has been made, the opioid crisis, synthetic drugs, and emerging substances continue to burden the health of the state, highlighting the need for continued action and vigilance.

In 2023, the CDC announced the second iteration of Overdose Data to Action, called Overdose Data to Action in States (OD2A-S). The grant funded program enables the state to develop and adapt surveillance systems to address overdoses, with a focus on opioids and stimulants as the major contributors to overdose deaths nationally.

Program Activities

In September 2023, Florida was awarded the Overdose Data to Action in States (OD2A-S) grant, expanding the scope of previous drug overdose surveillance system to include more non-opioid related overdoses and strengthening funding of prevention efforts.

With this grant funding, the Department continues to enhance surveillance systems and support infrastructure that allows a collaborative and targeted response to the drug overdose challenge, through the timely dissemination of surveillance data to key stakeholders working to address drug overdoses in Florida communities.

From a surveillance standpoint, the grant primarily supports resources necessary to:

1. Monitor non-fatal drug overdose visits at Florida emergency departments and hospitals
2. Collect, abstract, and input fatal overdose data from Florida's Vital Statistics Death Certificates and Medical Examiners' reports into the CDC's National Violent Death Registry System's State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS)
3. Develop a laboratory confirmed database of substances involved in non-fatal overdoses to compliment non-fatal overdose surveillance
4. Communicate surveillance results to key stakeholders at the state and local levels