By Linda Kor The Navajo County Board of Supervisors gave their approval for the county to participate in the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) between Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and Navajo County. The ODMAP is part of the public health/public safety framework that highlights five intersecting initiatives focused on substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery, as well as reducing the availability and use of illicit drugs. The ODMAP will provide real-time overdose surveillance data across jurisdictions to support public safety and health efforts to mobilize an immediate response to an overdose spike. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Drug Intelligence Officer Randy Moffit addressed the board and explained, “ODMAPing is a program that has been implemented throughout the State of Arizona. It is a tool to assign resources to people in a crisis and also save lives within Navajo County. “I do know we are experiencing a serious fentanyl overdose not only within the State of Arizona but also within Navajo County. Given the ability to use ODMAPing the Sheriff’s Office and any law enforcement entity would be able to research where there are multiple overdoses occurring and apply resources. When we are talking about resources, we’re not talking about physically arresting people, we are talking about assisting people in crisis, people that need assistance. With that being said, it’s a real time tool,” stated Moffitt, adding that he implemented it within 22 different agencies throughout the State.” In presenting a live view of ODMAPing to the board it showed that in Yavapai County where the program was implemented approximately a year ago the total suspected overdoses, the fatal overdoses and all the naloxone administrations and saves. While other programs show what is taking place in communities in the past, this program illustrates what is currently taking place in communities. “Why this is so critical is that it’s a process of clicking through six boxes and it goes right into the overdose map.” Moffitt noted that the data does not provide information on the individuals involved or on any specific person. “It does not list their address; it does not list any personal information, so it does not meet the requirements of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).” This program is free to Navajo County. According to Moffitt, the long-term goal is to work with the Public Health, the Sheriff’s Department and Emergency Management to saturate the community and assist people. Vicky Solomon, who is working with Moffitt on this endeavor in her roll as the director of the Nexus Coalition for Drug Prevention, also addressed the Board and stated that her organization tracks the number of deaths in Navajo County related to drug overdose. “In 2020, we had right around 148 death cases. Of those 148, there was actually 23 drug overdoses and 14 of the 23 were fentanyl.” Moffitt added, “If you look at the naloxone saves, and this is from one community, it tells you that we are moving in the right direction from 178 suspected overdoses to 92 of those individuals that were revived and saved by naloxone. One of the reasons why this tool is so important and it should really be implemented by Navajo County.” Board member Alberto Peshlakai asked that if the tribal communities were interested in this tool would this be an opportunity for that information to be collected. Moffitt stated that the plan is to begin the program in Navajo County and then reach out to the surrounding areas once the information can be evidenced.
