Delaware’s statewide operations center in the fight against substance use disorder
The Overdose Response Center (ORC) launched in 2023 as Delaware’s near real-time data analytics and deployment operations center for the ongoing opioid/overdose epidemic. The ORC collects and analyzes information from a wide range of sources, including “street level” intelligence, to reveal emerging trends, patterns, detect critical incidents/spikes, and direct resources regularly to areas of need. The ORC leverages two branches to accomplish its objectives.
Community Response Branch
The Community Response Branch of ORC coordinates the community teams/assets responding to the overdose epidemic (both internal and external) and manages an ongoing “rolodex” of partners at the hyper-local level that can be called upon and activated when needed to ensure local expertise during a response.
Community Response assets include:
- County-based Post-Overdose Response Teams (PORT)
- County-based community volunteers, organized into Community Response Teams (CRT)
- Treatment providers and community partners with deployable assets (outreach teams, mobile units/vans, etc.)
Services Provided:
- PORT – provides general outreach and direct engagement with individuals, screening and referrals/connection to treatment services, short-term case management and follow-up, and education on and materials for risk mitigation (naloxone, testing strips, wound care, etc.)
- CRT – provide force-multipliers for the state and treatment provider teams during critical incidents or at general community events (health fairs, etc). Volunteers staff tables and provide information about treatment resources, train/distribute naloxone kits, testing strips, drug disposal kits, and other risk mitigation materials for the general public.
Get Involved:
- To be added to the partner “rolodex” or to become a volunteer with your county CRT, please email ORC@delaware.gov
Operations Branch
The Operations Branch of ORC staffs the physical center, conducting the near real-time data analysis and deployment planning functions. This work occurs in as near real-time as possible in order to ensure that the state remains “data-responsive” in its approach, adjusting today to yesterday’s data (as opposed to last quarter or year). In addition, the ORC Operations Branch is responsible for sharing appropriate information with partners and stakeholders. This includes numerous reports, bulletins, and alerts about the constantly evolving illicit drug and overdose landscapes. Publicly available reports are linked below.
Operations Branch partners include:
- Local first responders, treatment providers, outreach teams, community organizations, clients, advocates
- State agencies (Public Health, Forensic Science, DIAC, etc.) and systems
- Regional partners and bordering jurisdictions (local/county/state governments, treatment providers, community organizations, etc.)
- National agencies, including informational sharing meetings and national trend analysis
Services Provided:
- Analysis and mapping of varying data sets and static overlays to generate current operating pictures statewide
- Management of the internally developed real-time data feedback system for outreach teams and community partners (DROP)
- Sharing, where appropriate and allowable, the results of data analysis and mapping overlays with partners and stakeholders
Stay Informed:
- To be added to the ORC list-serv and receive notices/alerts, please email ORC@delaware.gov with your name and agency affiliation (if applicable).
Contact Us
The ORC shares seven-days-a-week support, information and resources with community-based partner organizations throughout the state.
- General Information: 302-255-2773
- Email: ORC@delaware.gov
- Off-Hours / Emergencies: Duty Officer 302-657-9073
