Funded by the CDC Overdose Data to Action Grant, the Franklin County Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Evaluation System (Franklin County CARES) provides a one-stop resource for comprehensive data on addiction, recovery, and health for Franklin County residents and communities.
The user-friendly website was built with a diverse array of Franklin County community members in mind. Franklin County CARES will allow residents of Franklin County to learn more about their neighborhoods and surrounding communities, while agencies addressing the overdose epidemic can access the data they need to plan and implement their programs. The website features dashboards showcasing local data on the overdose epidemic, including emergency department admissions, deaths, 911 calls, and justice system interactions, as well as resources and data-driven strategies to address substance use and abuse. Franklin County CARES also provides access to a database of funding opportunities, promising practices, and community health resources to assist Franklin County Public Health, community partners and community members in finding the resources needed to address substance use disorder and other health-related issues.
Demographic data and mapping features on Franklin County CARES offer opportunities to identify populations and locations that have experienced and are experiencing disparities in health. The Health Equity Index allows for more explicit identification of these areas. By breaking out all available data into subgroups, community members and agencies can identify groups that are suffering from disparities and identify opportunities to close these gaps. Equity was at the forefront throughout the development of Franklin County CARES.
Franklin County Public Health (FCPH) was awarded a three-year Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose Data to Action Grant, which has brought an estimated $3.9 million dollars a year to our community to fight the opiate crisis. The purpose of the funding is to obtain high quality, more comprehensive, and timelier data on overdose morbidity and mortality, and use the data to inform prevention and response efforts.