The opioid crisis continues to pose significant challenges for local governments, stretching public safety resources, overwhelming emergency responders, and devastating families and communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 110,000 people died from overdoses in 2023. However, the number of non-fatal overdoses is far higher, leading to increased demands on 911 call centers, emergency medical services (EMS), police, fire departments, and public health agencies.

Municipalities need more than just additional funding to combat this crisis effectively—they need targeted, data-driven interventions. The good news is that local governments already have access to much of the data they need to respond strategically. Publicly available datasets—such as 911 calls for service, EMS dispatch records, and emergency room data—can be leveraged to identify overdose hotspots, recognize time-based patterns, and deploy resources more effectively.

This article presents a blueprint for local decision-makers to integrate spatiotemporal data analysis into their overdose response strategy. Using 911 call data from Detroit, Michigan, USA, as a case study, this approach demonstrates how cities can move from a reactive crisis response to proactive, evidence-based intervention strategies—ultimately saving lives and reducing the burden on first responders.

Step 1: Identifying the Patterns — Where and When Overdoses Occur

Analyzing overdose data can reveal critical patterns that help local leaders make informed policy decisions. When evaluating 7,102 overdose-related 911 calls in Detroit in 2022, several clear trends emerged.

Overdoses follow predictable daily and weekly cycles. 

Overdoses peak in the evening hours (8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.), with the lowest call volumes occurring in the morning. The highest number of overdoses occur on weekends (Friday to Sunday), aligning with increased social activity and potential recreational substance use.

Hotspots exist. 

Overdoses cluster in certain areas. Incidents were not randomly distributed but heavily concentrated in a 7-square-mile hotspot in Detroit’s downtown entertainment district, where nightlife venues, restaurants, retail establishments, and hotels are prevalent. These findings suggest that placing overdose prevention resources in these areas—particularly during high-risk times—could have a significant impact.

Seasonal trends were evident. 

Summer brings a surge in overdoses. Calls increased steadily from January through August, peaking in the summer months before declining in the fall. This seasonal pattern suggests that local governments should ramp up public awareness campaigns and harm reduction efforts in the months leading up to peak overdose periods.

Why This Matters for Local Governments

Overdoses are predictable. Understanding when and where overdoses occur allows for strategic interventions rather than blanket, resource-heavy responses. While the city of Detroit covers around 139 square miles, many areas experience very few overdoses.

Data should drive policy. Instead of spreading prevention efforts thin, municipalities can concentrate their efforts in known high-risk areas at peak times. By focusing efforts on spatiotemporal clusters, such as the 7-square-mile hotspot in the evening hours, only 5% of the city land area is targeted in a relatively small time window.

Community partnerships are critical. Neighborhoods with high rates of drug addiction and overdose may experience overall lower quality of life. Community development efforts may be stifled as businesses and investors may be less likely to invest in these areas. It is crucial to engage local businesses, social service organizations, and first responders in efforts to target the overdose crisis.

Step 2: Turning Data into Action — Practical Strategies for Local Governments

Once a city has identified overdose patterns, leaders can implement targeted solutions that increase the availability of life-saving interventions and reduce the burden on emergency responders.

Expand Narcan access where and when overdoses happen. 

Naloxone (Narcan) is a proven, life-saving tool that can reverse opioid overdoses in minutes—but only if it is available at the right places and times. As a strategy, cities should deploy Narcan vending machines or establish distribution sites at bars, restaurants, transit hubs, libraries, and 24-hour businesses in overdose hotspots. Wayne County, Michigan, has deployed 100 Narcan vending machines across high-risk locations, providing free, easy access to overdose reversal medication.

Train local businesses and community members to respond. 

Empowering community members to intervene can significantly reduce overdose fatalities. Train bar and restaurant staff, hotel workers, and transit employees to recognize overdoses and administer Narcan, CPR, and other life saving measures.

Deploy mobile crisis units during peak overdose hours. 

First responders—particularly police and EMS—are stretched thin responding to overdose calls. One strategy is to implement non-police crisis response teams that operate during peak overdose times (weekends and evenings). These teams, staffed with medical professionals and peer recovery specialists, can provide immediate care and connect individuals to treatment. Cities like Denver, Colorado, and Eugene, Oregon, have successfully launched mobile crisis response teams that de-escalate drug-related emergencies without police involvement.

Use 911 data to predict and prevent future overdoses. 

Predictive analytics can help anticipate where and when overdoses are likely to occur. Law enforcement, public health departments, and social services should map overdose calls in real time to proactively deploy harm reduction teams before spikes occur. Some police departments have successfully used heat maps and machine learning to anticipate drug-related emergencies and target interventions accordingly.

Engage local stakeholders in data-driven decision making. 

Open data fosters collaboration between government agencies, businesses, and community groups. As one strategy, municipalities should create publicly accessible overdose dashboards where decision-makers and community partners can track trends and coordinate responses.

Step 3: Securing Funding to Support Data-Driven Overdose Prevention

Funding is a key challenge for cities implementing overdose prevention initiatives. However, several state, federal, and private funding sources can support these efforts.

Federal grants. CDC, SAMHSA, and HRSA offer funding for opioid intervention programs. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) provides grants for alternative emergency response models.

State and local funding. Many states have received opioid settlement funds from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, which can be directed toward harm reduction efforts.

Private foundations and public-private partnerships. Organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies fund innovative local government initiatives in public health.

Local governments should actively seek out funding opportunities and collaborate with private businesses and nonprofits to sustain overdose prevention initiatives.

Conclusion: A Data-Driven Approach to Saving Lives

The opioid crisis is an ongoing challenge for municipalities across the country, but local governments are not powerless. By using data-driven strategies, cities and counties can:

• Identify and target high-risk overdose locations.

• Ensure life-saving resources like Narcan are in the right places at the right times.

• Leverage partnerships with businesses, community groups, and public agencies.

• Reduce the burden on first responders while improving public health outcomes.

With strategic, data-informed decision-making, municipalities can proactively combat the overdose epidemic—saving lives, supporting communities, and making local governments more effective in public health response. The time to act is now.

KIM MICHELLE LERSCH, PhD, is a professor in the School of Information at University of South Florida.