Alabama Priority Topic Investments
Click on any of the tabs below to learn more about each topic.
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
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Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)
Public Health and Public Safety
*average award amount |
Examples of How Alabama Is Working to Prevent Overdose
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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. |
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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.
Strategic Priorities Overview
Monitor, Analyze, and Communicate Trends
Build State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Capacity
Support Providers, Health Systems, Payors, and Employers
Partner with Public Safety and Community Organizations
Raise Public Awareness and Reduce Stigma
Additional Resources
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.).
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Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
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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
| 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
Promoting Social Norms that Protect Against Violence and Adversity
Ensuring a Strong Start for Children
Teaching Skills
Connecting Youth to Caring Adults and Activities
Intervening to Lessen Immediate and Long-Term Harms