The purpose of the Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Peer Mentor Program is to elevate, communicate, and leverage OFR promising practices while building bridges between nascent teams and those with demonstrated success. The OFR Peer Mentor Program provides a unique opportunity to learn the application and practice of OFR from experienced peers.
OFR Peer Mentee Application
OFR peer mentee participants are matched to an experienced OFR peer mentor site that provides consultation and support through direct communication and a virtual* OFR site visit to see firsthand how OFRs work in practice.
A typical OFR mentee experience will include:
One-hour introductory call at least one week before the OFR virtual site visit
Two-hour OFR observation
One-hour post review discussion call at least one week after the OFR virtual site visit
Facilitated discussions with one or two OFR members as requested by the peer mentee
Feedback to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), the BJA-designated training and technical assistance provider, by both the mentor and the mentee about their experience
(*Note: In-person site visits are on hold during the COVID-19 response.)
OFR Peer Mentor Sites
OFR peer mentor sites serve as models for individuals and teams interested in starting a program or for more established programs interested in learning innovative practices.
Indiana Peer Mentor Site
Indiana’s OFR program is managed by the Indiana Department of Health and is a county-level OFR program established in 2018. It is currently funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose Data to Action grant.
Experience
State coordination of local sites
OFR legislation
16 OFR teams throughout the state
Coroner-based system
Family interviews and psychological autopsies
Experience with suicide and overdose deaths
Collaborates across fatality review programs, including Maternal Mortality Review and Child Fatality Review, focused on youth suicides
Community of Practice monthly call for all local coordinators
Utah Peer Mentor Site
Utah’s OFR is managed by the Utah Department of Health and is a state-level OFR established in 2017. It is currently funded by the CDC Overdose Data to Action grant with Opioid Response Strategy (ORS) involvement. Experience
State-level OFR initiative
OFR legislation
Centralized medical examiner office
Themed-case selection
Summary reports
Family interviews
Convening different types of death reviews (including suicide, homicide, and maternal mortality)
About the Institute for Intergovernmental Research
