In a bid to tackle its escalating overdose crisis, the City of Philadelphia has taken to the streets. The Office of Public Safety's Overdose Response Unit has conducted a door-to-door overdose prevention program. Philadelphia has seen an alarming increase in such tragedies. The city's latest report provides stark figures: overdoses among non-Hispanic Black individuals jumped by 87% while Hispanic individuals saw a 43% rise between 2018 and 2022, even as rates for non-Hispanic White individuals fell by 12%, according to the Philadelphia Public Health Department’s CHART.

The ORU's response cutting across various city agencies to bring the necessary life-saving tools directly to those most in need. A collaborative effort saw the ORU partner with the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) to deliver a message of awareness right to residents' front doors. Canvassers armed with the Philly Help book, free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and training materials on the usage of these tools, aimed to bridge the gap in access to treatment services and resources among the afflicted populations. The report highlights the program's impactful reach: 76% to 88% of households in targeted ZIP Codes welcomed these potentially life-saving resources.

Alongside door-to-door outreach, Philadelphia has fostered a supportive network of "Trusted Community Messenger" through specialized training sessions. The outreach is showing tangible results, with over 300 community members trained and ready to lend their support within their neighborhoods, as stated in the city's report.

The canvasing program has successfully facilitated 10,306 conversations about overdose prevention and improved treatment access, alongside the distribution of 18,080 doses of naloxone and 21,148 fentanyl test strips. Identified high-risk areas like ZIP Codes 19145 and 19148, where fatal overdoses rates are climbing, will be the next focus for the city's relentless door-to-door campaign.