Quick Response Teams
The Cincinnati and Toledo areas were among the first to implement widespread use of Quick Response Teams, generally consisting of two first responders (police and EMT) and at least one social worker.
The purpose is to quickly follow up with overdose victims to check on their health and encourage them to seek help. QRTs that track the victims say that 50-80 percent accept some kind of help. Another finding is that there often is a general plea for other services, such as a ride to a doctor, clothing for children, phone numbers.
Colerain Township, a beltway community of about 56,000 on Cincinnati’s northwest side, became a model for many others around the country, and dispatched people to make presentations on the effectiveness.
The Lucas County sheriff also was an innovator. He was early enough in developing a program that he had to come up with his own name: Drug Abuse Response Team, or DART.
This compilation of QRT information is a work in progress. If you are aware of a community with a QRT and it is not mentioned here, please let me know at doplinger@yourvoiceohio.org
Statewide
Project Dawn Guidelines from ODH: Rapid Increase in Drug Overdoses Community Response Plan Template
Ohio Attorney General guidelines for heroin response
OverdosePreventionStrategies.org Ohio scorecard
Southwest Ohio
Profile of Butler County programs by EMS World 5-6-17, began in 2015
“Out of the 208 people we’ve made contact with 55 percent of those individuals walked through a treatment door.”
Colerain Twp. (Hamilton Co.) was one of the first, a model, WCPO 3-8-17
80% of those contacted follow up with some type of treatment.
Clermont County receives private grant to start up QRT, 1-23-17
Cincinnati mayor, council propose teams 9-2-16 modeled after Colerain
State lawmakers representing Wilmington area put money in a bill for Wilmington QRT 3-20-17
Miami County task force Jan. 2017 update
Northwest Ohio
The Lucas County sheriff also was an early leader in quick response, early enough that he created his own name: DART.
Lucas County DART Facebook page
Bowling Green: 8-17-17
Wood County prosecutor proposes that a QRT be formed after losing son
Troy, Ohio: 7-6-16
Troy starts QRT after heroin spike
Northeast Ohio
Coventry Township, Summit County: 5-5-17
Coventry launches heroin-focused QRT
Akron: 3-2-17
Akron launches QRT to combat opiate epidemic
Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County: 1-12-17
Cuyahoga Falls launches QRT
Solutions piece by Cleveland Scene on man in City of Green (Summit County) bringing pieces together for his community
City of Green (Summit County), home of Lt Gov Mary Taylor, starts up QRT, hears presentation from Colerain Twp
Stow and Munroe Falls, Summit County: 4-2-17
Stow and Munroe falls launch QRT
Southeast Ohio
N/A
Central Ohio
Franklin County grant to Columbus: 5-24-17
Program hopes to get overdose patients into treatment
Chillicothe, Ross County among early implementers: 6-25-16 and 9-7-16
Kentucky
Ride-along with WCPO Cincinnati in Kenton County,Florence, Kentucky: 3-9-17
Boone County, Florence, Kentucky: 6-16-17 from the Cincinnati Enquirer
Boone County starts overdose QRT
West Virginia
N/A