Overdose fatality review (OFR) teams are encouraged to integrate health equity approaches throughout the OFR process. Health equity is the “state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts to address historical and contemporary injustices; overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and healthcare; and eliminate preventable health disparities.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Health Equity) This facilitated session seeks to support OFR teams in their ongoing awareness and intentional practice of health equity. Participants will share their experiences and engage in a community of practice to discuss challenges integrating health equity into the OFR process. Participants will also gain awareness of elements in the OFR data management system that support contextual understanding of social determinants of health.

Specific objectives of the session are to (1) facilitate a discussion about the experiences and strategies OFR teams use to integrate health equity into OFRs, (2) discuss challenges, barriers, solutions, and lessons learned in implementing health equity approaches into the OFR process, and (3) develop case examples and tips to integrate health equity based on the facilitated discussion