Indianapolis Organizations Rally Against Overdose Deaths with Direct Outreach in Affected Zip Code

In response to a concerning uptick in overdose deaths in the 46201 zip code, community organizations in Indianapolis have teamed together. The Marion County Public Health Department, Damien Center, Overdose Lifeline, and Step Up, Inc. recently joined together to try to address this issue directly through proactive outreach. 383 overdose deaths occurred in Indianapolis between January and September of 2024, with a noteworthy 11% of those deaths taking place in a single zip code, according to WRTV’s investigation.

Volunteers distributed Narcan, a drug essential for reversing opioid overdoses, and put together bags with life-saving information on overdose prevention and treatment in an attempt to stop this wave of deaths.Madison Weintraut of the Marion County Public Health Department highlighted the glaring health inequalities associated with geographic location in a comment that WRTV carried. She said, “Your zip code really affects your health when you look at the life expectancy.”

Teams of volunteers delivered these resources directly to locals by going door to door in what has been called a first-of-its-kind approach for the region, aiming to reach 1,500 families. This practical method is a component of a broader effort supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Data to Action grant. Weintraut said, “This is really exciting,” in a statement that Wish-TV was able to receive. “We re hoping that if it s successful, we re hoping that we can replicate it based on that quarterly data where we see neighborhoods that are adversely affected.”

A crucial tool given the alarming fact that 40% of the substances tested in syringes gathered had fentanyl, a powerful drug that contributes to the rise in overdoses, the distribution also included fentanyl test strips. In an interview with WTHR, Weintraut described the terrible effects of the opioid crisis on the area, saying, “This neighborhood has been disproportionately afflicted by the opioid issue for years. The fact that it keeps happening in this community is incredibly depressing.

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