Use data to address the upstream drivers of overdose in your community
REPORT
Community Conditions Matter: How Neighborhood Resources Impact Drug Overdose Deaths in California
For every 10 people who die from a drug overdose in California, about 3 of these deaths could be prevented by improving the conditions where people live.
Research from the Public Health Alliance of Southern California shows that the key to saving these lives isn't just found in clinics or treatment centers, but in our community resources. The conditions of our neighborhoods profoundly impact the risk of a fatal drug overdose.
The Healthy Places Index measures these conditions in California across:
💰 Income
📚 Education
🌲 Environment
🏡 Housing
🤝 Civic engagement and social cohesion
WEBINARS & WORKSHOPS
Learn how to apply these insights to your work
The California Overdose Prevention Network (COPN) and the Public Health Alliance of Southern California teamed up for a series of webinars and workshops on how to use data to address overdose in your community.
More than a Map: Healthy Places Index & Social Determinants of the Overdose Epidemic
Learn how improving community conditions like increasing household income, access to transportation, and safe, stable housing are key aspects of opioid overdose prevention
Discover whhat community-centered solutions can improve opioid overdose rates
Learn how to use the Healthy Places Index (HPI) map platform to determine community strengths and opportunities for intervention to improve opioid overdose death rates, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and opioid prescription rates
COPN Workshop: Healthy Places Index Data Access and Interpretation
Building on the first webinar in the series, this workshop dives deeper into the Healthy Places Index and how to access and interpret HPI data, with a focus on opioid-related indicators.
COPN Workshop: Data Application and Messaging Strategies
April 8, 2026 | 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM PT
TOOLS & RESOURCES
Transform Mapping Data Into Action
The California Healthy Places Index® (HPI) is a powerful tool, developed by the Public Health Alliance, to assist in exploring local factors that predict life expectancy and comparing community conditions across the state.
Learn how to use the California Healthy Places Index
Check out this walkthrough guide and training video on how to use the California Healthy Places Index Map Platform to map opioid and community health indicators in your community and find actionable policy solutions.
NEW RESOURCE
The Upstream Playbook
This step-by-step, fillable planning guide can help you translate Healthy Places Index and SDoH data insights into actionable community strategies. Download and learn how to:
Effectively access the opioid data on the HPI map platform
Understand what these data mean and how to use them to develop community-driven solutions
Learn key strategies for communicating results and implementing solutions with communities
