What is an Overdose Fatality Review Team (OFRT)

 An OFRT is a multidisciplinary team that performs a series of individual overdose fatality reviews to uncover ecological factors or systems gaps that may have contributed to a fatal overdose due to substance use. In turn, OFRTs use the information collected about decedents to develop and implement innovative community-specific strategies, services, and/or policies to prevent future fatal overdoses. Additionally, OFRTs enable more effective collaboration and communication about overdoses within individual jurisdictions.  OFRT membership varies, but typically includes local health officers, local medical examiners, local behavior health services directors, prosecutors' offices, substance use treatment providers, emergency department providers, local advisory committees on alcohol and substance use disorders, harm reduction specialists, and other community leaders who play a role in overdose prevention.

 On January 18, 2022, Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill into law (N.J.S.A. 26:3A2-20.4 et seq.) that permits Overdose Fatality Review Teams (OFRTs) to operate within counties, large municipalities, and municipalities with high overdose rates.  More specifically, the legislation:

• Permits OFRTs to be established by county or local health departments
• Establishes minimum membership requirements for OFRTs and describes their duties
• Establishes requirements for local OFRTs, including:
  • Conducting comprehensive reviews of confirmed overdose fatalities, or a sample thereof Including specific risk factors, social determinants of health, and points of contact with health, social services, and other systems in decedent reviews
  • Recommending prevention and intervention strategies to reduce overdose deaths
  • Producing confidential case reports, which shall be submitted to the NJDOH
  • Grants rule-making authority for OFRTs to NJDOH
  • Establishes annual reporting requirements for local OFRTs and NJDOH
  • Sets minimum privacy and confidentiality standards for OFRT and NJDOH data collection, storage, transmittal, and destruction
  • Lists entities that may provide OFRTs with information and records related to the decedent’s health, substance use disorder treatment, criminal history, social services, educational history, etc.

 New Jersey Department of Heath continually evaluates Overdose Fatality Review teams and implements best practices and standards.

 Funding for this program is made possible through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH

 If you have interest in learning more about the OFRT, please email Mary Jo Harris, OFRT Coordinator at mharris@co.warren.nj.us

 If you or a loved one needs help with substance use or mental health issues, please contact the Mental Health Administrator and additional resources here!