Alaska Priority Topic Investments

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Alaska 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 Alaska.

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 Alaska there were:

260

overdose deaths

35.6

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

Source: NVSS – Drug Overdose Deaths

Overdose Funding At A Glance
Overdose Funding At A Glance
Alaska

$2,797,774

FY22 Alaska Total Overdose Prevention Funding

 

FY22 Awards

Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)

  • Alaska State Award: $2,633,274

Public Health and Public Safety

  • Overdose Response Strategy: $74,500*
  • AK Fentanyl Response Project Community Innovation Award: $90,000

 

*average award amount

Examples of How Alaska Is Working to Prevent Overdose

Overdose strategies
trends
Identifying overdose clusters

Alaska used emergency department data collected as a part of state surveillance activities to identify opioid overdose clusters. Public health surveillance experts used these data to collaborate with public safety staff to send alerts to the public.

awareness
Rx Awareness campaign

Alaska promoted the Rx Awareness campaign’s American Indian/Alaskan Native public service announcements statewide through radio, tv, and digital placements. Intentional media placements were purchased to reach rural Alaskan communities.

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