A Post Overdose Response Team (PORT) is a coordinated, community-based initiative that engages individuals after a nonfatal drug overdose, using the event as a unique window of opportunity to provide harm reduction, recovery support, and connections to treatment before another overdose occurs. This multidisciplinary team is made up of first responders, public health professionals, peer recovery specialists, addiction specialists, and a social worker that will work to reduce the risk of future overdoses and connect individuals to supportive services that promote long-term recovery and stability.

The partners for the Post Overdose Response Team (PORT) includes:

What's Helping What We Do?

These are the positive forces at work in our strategy/program that influence how much we do or how well we do it.

• Opioid Settlement Funds
• Peer Recovery Specialist
• Narcan Education
• Community Partners
• Mental Health Education
• Recovery Meetings
• Mental Health First Aid Training

What's Hurting What We Do?

These are the negative forces at work in our strategy/program that influence how much we do or how well we do it.

• Stigma and Mistrust
• Readiness to Change
• Limited Availability of Team Members
• Temporary Funding
• Insufficient Harm Reduction Supplies
• Limited Mental Health Facilities

The following actions have been identified by the CHA team as ideas for what can work for this performance measure to make a difference on Mental Health and Substance Misuse

Actions and Approaches Identified by Our CHA Team. These are actions and approaches that we think can make a difference for this performance measure.

• Post Overdose Response Team (PORT)
• Youth Mental Health Facilities
• Substance Use Education
• Address Social Determinants of Health
• Increased Peer Recovery Specialists
• Mobile Crisis Services
• Shorter Wait Times for Services
• Recovery Meetings

 No-cost and Low-cost Ideas Identified by Our CHA Team. These are no-cost and low-cost actions and approaches that we think can make a difference for this performance measure.

• Recovery Meetings
• Peer Support Specialist
• Free Crisis Lines
• Free Naloxone
• Social Media Campaigns

What your customers think would work to do better. These are actions and approaches that our customers think can make a difference to this performance measure.

• Faith-based Organizations
• More Mental Health Options
• Education to reduce stigma

List of Questions/Research Agenda. These are questions to follow-up on for this performance measure.

• How do we get people willing to participate in recovery?
• What partnerships could help fill the gaps?

The Post Overdose Response Team (PORT) is currently in the implementation stage, with program initiation planned for the beginning of 2026. While outcome data is not yet available, implementation planning is actively underway to ensure comprehensive, consistent, and meaningful data collection upon program launch.

Key preparatory steps have already been completed, including the assignment of dedicated PORT team members and the development of a standardized toolkit to guide response activities, documentation, and follow-up. The PORT program will operate as a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort involving Community Paramedics (CP), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Dr. Williams and members of his care coordination team, and Stacie with Rock Bottom Recovery. This coordinated approach is designed to improve post-overdose outreach, enhance access to treatment and support services, and strengthen continuity of care for individuals at risk.