Enhanced surveillance for opioid overdose in Rhode Island.

Currently, Rhode Island is experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdosing. As with any complex social phenomenon, the epidemic has multiple causes, some known and some unknown. Clearly, opioids from multiple sources are plentiful. Clearly, recreational opioid use has become popular across social strata. And clearly, today’s common street mixes, such as heroin and fentanyl, are very powerful and have contributed to overdose deaths. Far less clear is what drives these trends. Nonetheless, Public Health must respond, and response begins with comprehensive assessment of the problem. Therefore, the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) has enhanced its real-time surveillance of opioid overdosing in three ways.