Bringing People Together to End Overdoses
The overdose crisis affects us all, touching lives in every corner of our communities
The Public Health is Public Safety campaign is committed to bringing together diverse groups and individuals, breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of unity. By working together, we can come up with solutions that address the root causes of this crisis.
Over the last 18 months, our Kentucky statewide “Public Health is Public Safety” campaign has brought together hundreds of directly impacted individuals, business leaders, victims groups, law enforcement, faith leaders, non-profits, healthcare professionals and others to spread awareness, come up with solutions to help their communities, and shape state policy.
At Dream.Org, we want to leverage our national organizing network and experience with successfully passing legislation in both red and blue states to find common ground solutions. We are ensuring that public health policies are long lasting and beneficial to the communities most impacted by the overdose crisis, no matter which political party is in power.
Our goal is to end the cycle of mass incarceration for those who need support and resources, not punishment. Together, we can create a path toward a healthier, safer future for everyone.
Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicates there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2023. Overdose rates amongst Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities are rapidly increasing.
Overdose deaths continue to devastate communities nationwide, leaving many grappling with loss and searching for ways to make a difference.
This is a collective issue that impacts us all, sign up to share your story.
4 facts about overdose & jails:
- 1 in 5 people are incarcerated due to a drug offense.
- People that are recently incarcerated are 27 times more likely to die from overdose within two weeks of being released.
- More than 50% of individuals taking medication for mental health conditions did not receive their medication while incarcerated.
- Of the estimated 43.7 million people needing substance use disorder treatment in 2012, only 3 million (6.8%) received treatment at a specialty facility & only 4.1 million (9.4%) received any treatment at all.
Our monthly calls tackle issues related to the overdose crisis and its far-reaching impact on our lives. This is an issue that cuts across race, class, geography, and political ideology, so we’re building a coalition that looks like America. These calls bring together a diverse range of stakeholders, including public health professionals, harm reduction advocates, law enforcement, legal experts, community leaders, family members of those affected by overdose, and people with lived experience of substance use and incarceration.
