Alabama Priority Topic Investments

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Alabama Overdose Investment Snapshot

Combatting the current overdose crisis is a priority for the agency. This page provides an overview of the FY22 CDC Injury Center (NCIPC) overdose investments for the state of Alabama.

There were 106,699 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2021 (32.4 deaths per 100,000 standard population), a 16% increase from 2020. Approximately 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2021 involved at least one opioid; 66% of deaths involved synthetic opioids (e.g., illicitly manufactured fentanyls). Drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids increased 25%, deaths involving psychostimulants (e.g., methamphetamine) increased 37%, and deaths involving cocaine increased 26% from 2020 to 2021. Although deaths increased overall and in all drug categories except heroin, the increases from 2020 to 2021 were generally lower than those from 2019 to 2020, suggesting a slowing of the increase in overdose deaths.

In 2021 in Alabama there were:

1,408

overdose deaths

30.1

overdose deaths per 100,000 people (age-adjusted)

Source: NVSS – Drug Overdose Deaths

Overdose Funding At A Glance
Overdose Funding At A Glance
Alabama

$3,757,933

FY22 Alabama Total OverdosePrevention Funding

 

FY22 Awards

Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)

  • Alabama State Award: $3,683,433

Public Health and Public Safety

  • Overdose Response Strategy: $74,500*

 

*average award amount

Examples of How Alabama Is Working to Prevent Overdose

Overdose strategies
trends
Real time response

Jefferson County Department of Health, located in the most populous county in Alabama (and a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), now receives real-time overdose data. These data are used to deploy rapid response teams to local areas experiencing overdose outbreaks. Rapid response teams can link individuals with appropriate care immediately following an overdose.

healthcare
Peer recovery support app

Jefferson County integrated the Peer Rx application into several major hospital systems to address the needs of individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to lessen the burden on hospital staff. Emergency room staff use the app to connect patients with an SUD to mental health or substance use peer recovery support services within ten minutes of referral.

CDC Overdose Prevention Strategies

CDC’s Injury Center plays a critical role in addressing the drug overdose epidemic by driving progress in the five strategic priorities that guide CDC’s response framework for preventing overdoses.

  • infographic
    Strategic Priorities Overview
  • trends
    Monitor, Analyze, and Communicate Trends
  • capacity building
    Build State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Capacity
  • healthcare
    Support Providers, Health Systems, Payors, and Employers
  • public safety
    Partner with Public Safety and Community Organizations
  • awareness
    Raise Public Awareness and Reduce Stigma

Additional Resources

References

1 Spencer MR, Miniño AM, Warner M. Drug overdose deaths in the United States, 2001–2021. NCHS Data Brief, no 457. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2022. DOI: https://dx.doi. org/10.15620/cdc:122556

Alabama ACEs Investment Snapshot

Preventing, identifying, and responding to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is a priority for the agency. This page provides an overview of the FY22 CDC Injury Center (NCIPC) ACEs investments for the state of Alabama.

ACEs are preventable, potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years) such as neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, or having a family member attempt or die by suicide. Among U.S. adults surveyed between 2011-2020, 63.9% of adults had at least one ACE and 17.3% had 4 or more types of ACEs. Preventing ACEs could reduce a large number of health conditions, including up to 21 million cases of depression, 1.9 million cases of heart disease, and 2.5 million cases of overweight/obesity.

Swedo EA, Aslam MV, Dahlberg LL, Niolon PH, Simon TR, Guinn AS, Mercy JA. Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among U.S. Adults – Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 2011-2020. MMWR.

In 2020 in Alabama*:

64%

of U.S. adults reported experiencing at least one ACE

18.7%

of U.S. adults reported experiencing four or more ACEs

*ACE statistics are reported by U.S. adults and include exposure to eight types of ACEs: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, witnessing intimate partner violence, household substance abuse, household mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and incarcerated household member. (Source: Swedo EA, Aslam MV, Dahlberg LL, Niolon PH, Simon TR, Guinn AS, Mercy JA. Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among U.S. Adults – Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 2011-2020. MMWR.).

ACEs Funding At A Glance
ACEs Funding At A Glance
Alabama

$25,000

Total ACEs Funding Appropriated within Alabama for FY22 Activities

 

 

 

FY22 Awards

Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

  • Alabama State Department of Education: $25,000
Other Support for ACEs in Alabama

Beyond the ACEs appropriation, CDC supports several initiatives, research, and partnerships to build state surveillance infrastructure and enhance ACEs prevention and mitigation.

In Alabama, some of those other initiatives include:

Examples of How Alabama Is Working to Prevent ACEs

ACEs strategies
Surveillance activities

The Alabama State Department of Education is adding questions about experiencing ACEs to the Alabama YRBS to provide representative state-wide estimates of ACEs for Alabama public high school students.

CDC ACEs Prevention and Mitigation Strategies

ACEs and their associated harms are preventable. Creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families can prevent ACEs and help all children reach their full health and life potential. CDC has produced a suite of technical packages to help states and communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent violence, including the many types of violence and social, economic, and other exposures in the home and community that adversely affect children.

From this suite of technical packages, CDC developed Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Resource for Action, which outlines six strategies that can prevent ACEs from happening in the first place as well as mitigate the harms of ACEs.

  • Strengthening Economic Supports to Families
    Strengthening Economic Supports to Families
  • Promotesocialnorms
    Promoting Social Norms that Protect Against Violence and Adversity
  • Ensuring a Strong Start for Children
    Ensuring a Strong Start for Children
  • Teaching Skills
    Teaching Skills
  • Connecting Youth to Caring Adults and Activities
    Connecting Youth to Caring Adults and Activities
  • Connecting Youth to Caring Adults and Activities
    Intervening to Lessen Immediate and Long-Term Harms

Additional Resources