The idea for the Drug Prevention Portal came from the BP’s Policy team, who found a similar dashboard that compiles data in Rhode Island. Working in conjunction with the PPS, they adapted it for Staten Island’s specific needs.
“Late in 2016 my Policy staff presented to me exciting information about the Rhode Island Dashboard that has been such a useful tool in that State as they battle their own opioid epidemic,” said BP Oddo. “We agreed that we simply have to bring something similar to Staten Island. We immediately asked our partners at the SI PPS, who have the experience, access to data, and technical capability to undertake such a project, to consider building our own local dashboard. It is exciting to see it released to the public. Let me be clear, this is not data collection for the sake of data collection; rather this dashboard will be a real time resource for those who need assistance, as well as policymakers as we continue to look for new ways to fight this deadly epidemic.”
“By creating this web service for our partners, providers and the community, we have been able to provide an invaluable resource for improving the health and wellness of its users. The site centers on tackling the drug epidemic by bringing together useful data sources, key research and other tools for users to access in an easy to use and convenient online platform. We are very excited to hear about the user experience of the site from our various partners, and hope to continuously improve and build upon this new addition to our arsenal in the fight against substance abuse,” said Celina Ramsey, Director of Health Literacy, Diversity & Outreach at SI PPS.
Check out the portal here: www.sidrugprevention.org