Unless they are given timely resources to reduce the chances of repeat episodes, survivors of opioid overdoses are at great risk of death. Post-overdose follow-up teams can provide care to survivors at a critical window to mitigate opioid-related risk and fatalities. The Chicago Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program supports a two-member field response team consisting of a community paramedic and a peer recovery coach. They follow up with individuals who experienced an opioid overdose within a three-day period to offer connections to treatment, overdose education, and harm reduction kits, including naloxone and fentanyl test strips. The program has been successful in engaging older Black men, a population that has been experiencing disproportionately higher rates of opioid-related mortality in recent years. 

CARE is a multi-agency collaboration involving Chicago's Department of Public Health, Fire Department, and Police Department, along with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications which manages the 911 call and emergency response dispatching center. An evaluation of the CARE pilot program found that it was successful in contacting individuals who had overdosed as reported by EMS, and presentations here and here describe the program's operations, regulatory framework, and data sharing challenges. This video presents the CARE team in action and this news story provides background on how the program originated. Information about how to reach the CARE program is available at its website.