Nevada Opioid/Overdose Surveillance Action Plan

The Nevada Overdose Surveillance Action Plan was made possible by the Overdose Data to Action Grant #NU17CE010224 awarded by the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH), Bureau of Behavioral Health, Wellness and Prevention.

The Problem

Nevada has experienced sustained and evolving opioid- and overdose-related harms, including increases in fatal and nonfatal overdoses, polysubstance use, and persistent geographic and demographic disparities. Although multiple opioid and overdose surveillance data sources exist—such as emergency department visits, emergency medical services data, death records, and prescription monitoring data—these systems have not always been fully aligned or consistently leveraged for timely public health action. Federal funders recognized the need to strengthen opioid and overdose surveillance capacity and ensure that data are systematically translated into prevention, response, and policy decisions. This created a clear need for a coordinated, statewide opioid/overdose surveillance action plan to guide how data are integrated, shared, and used to drive impact.

The Solution

Our team led the development of Nevada’s Opioid/Overdose Surveillance Action Plan by working closely with state and local partners, data system owners, community stakeholders, and federal funders to establish a shared, data-to-action vision. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of opioid and overdose surveillance systems, analytic capacity, reporting practices, and stakeholder needs to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. Through facilitated planning sessions and iterative feedback, we developed a strategic framework outlining priority surveillance activities, roles and responsibilities, and practical use cases for opioid and overdose data. The plan emphasizes timeliness, equity, cross-sector collaboration, and real-world application, ensuring surveillance findings inform prevention strategies, overdose response efforts, and decision-making at multiple levels.

The Results

The Opioid/Overdose Surveillance Action Plan was well received by partners and federal funders as a clear, actionable roadmap for strengthening surveillance and advancing data-informed overdose prevention. The plan improved alignment across opioid and overdose data systems and supported more coordinated reporting, stakeholder engagement, and rapid response to emerging trends. As a result, partners were better positioned to use surveillance findings to guide program implementation, funding decisions, and community-level interventions. For funders, the project demonstrated effective stewardship of surveillance investments, while for state and local partners, it delivered a shared framework that continues to support collaboration and sustained impact in Nevada’s overdose prevention efforts.