Pennsylvania Priority Topic Investments
Click on any of the tabs below to learn more about each topic.
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania there were:
5,449
overdose deaths
43.2
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
Research
*average award amount |
Examples of How Pennsylvania Is Working to Prevent Overdose
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First responder addiction and connection treatment training program
Pennsylvania conducted 47 trainings to over 1,000 first responders from EMS, fire, and law enforcement, as well as attorneys, and correctional officers on addiction and linkage to care. Six trainings were supervisor-specific workshops, addressing stigma reduction, linkage to treatment, and naloxone leave-behind strategies. |
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Patient advocacy
Pennsylvania successfully established a patient advocacy program to assist patients affected by the closure of clinics where they received opioid treatment. Pennsylvania provided linkage to care to approximately 130 patients between September 2019 and February 2020, as well as information on local resources, providers, and opioid safety. |
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
Pennsylvania Suicide Prevention Investment Snapshot
Preventing suicide is a priority for the agency. This page provides an overview of the FY22 CDC Injury Center (NCIPC) suicide prevention investments for the state of Pennsylvania.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. It was responsible for more than 48,000 deaths in 2021, which is about one death every 11 minutes. The number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. In 2021, 12.3 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.7 million attempted suicide.
In 2021 in Pennsylvania there were:
1,885
suicide deaths
13.9
suicide deaths per 100,000 people (age-adjusted)
Source: Suicide Rates by State (cdc.gov)
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Comprehensive Suicide Prevention
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Recipient is preventing suicide with CDC Injury Center (NCIPC) funding by:
- Strengthening access and delivery of suicide care
- Creating protective environments
- Promoting connectedness
- Identifying and supporting people at risk
Some groups have higher rates of suicide than others. To address disparities, Pennsylvania is focusing on:
- Veterans
This snapshot reflects suicide prevention priorities and activities under Year 1 funding of the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention (CSP) Program. This information is subject to change. For additional information, please see CSP: Program Profiles.
Examples of How Pennsylvania Is Working to Prevent Suicide
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ED provider training
The University of Pittsburgh is training emergency department (ED) providers on conducting brief interventions using motivational interviewing principles; examples of evidence-based practices that will be used include safety planning, follow-up phone calls, and care coordination services. |
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Raising mental health parity law awareness
The University of Pittsburgh is raising awareness and providing education on existing mental health parity laws to northwest Pennsylvania health care providers and community members. These laws ensure that health insurance coverage for mental-health related visits is on par with coverage for physical health-related visits. |
CDC Suicide Prevention Strategies
Suicide is preventable and there is no single cause, so prevention requires addressing the multiple factors linked to suicide at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. As such, CDC is leading a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention. Such an approach aims to prevent people from becoming suicidal in the first place and support people at increased risk. CDC uses near real-time data to track and monitor suicide trends, research possible risks and what works to prevent them, and help communities put proven suicide prevention strategies into place.
CDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action outlines seven strategies that are based on the best available evidence to help communities and states focus on prevention activities with the greatest potential to prevent suicide.
Strengthen economic supports
Create protective environments
Improve access and delivery of suicide care
Promote healthy connections
Teach coping and problem-solving skills
Identify and support people at risk
Lessen harms and prevent future risk
Additional Resources
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.
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 2019 in Pennsylvania*:
64.1%
of U.S. adults reported experiencing at least one ACE
18.9%
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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FY22 Awards Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
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Beyond the ACEs appropriation, CDC supports several initiatives, research, and partnerships to build state and tribal surveillance infrastructure and enhance ACEs prevention and mitigation.
In Pennsylvania, some of those other initiatives include:
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