The MO First Responder Overdose Response programs are part of the Addiction Science Team at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL), Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH). Our work includes two complementary initiatives: MO-CORPS, our overdose education and naloxone distribution program, and DOTS+MOBILE, our EMS buprenorphine initiative supporting medic-initiated field buprenorphine across Missouri.
Our mission is to empower Missouri’s first responders and other professionals with the equipment, training, and confidence to respond to overdose emergencies, save lives, and foster long term health and safety in their communities.
We provide free naloxone (Narcan), evidence-based training, and data/research support to law enforcement, fire, EMS, probation and parole, corrections, courts, public defenders, and local public health agencies throughout Missouri.
Our strategic objective is to save lives - both in the short and long term - by improving overdose response processes in Missouri at all links in the Overdose Chain of Survival:
Overdose crisis in Missouri
As synthetic opioids like fentanyl became more common in the Missouri drug supply, Missouri’s overdose death rate spiked sharply from 2016-2021.
However, in 2022, Missouri’s death rate began to stabilize. Then, in 2023, Missouri saw a substantial decrease in overdose deaths (12% compared to a national decrease of 3%). And finally in 2024, Missouri saw an even sharper decline of 26%.
There are many factors that affect a state’s overdose death rate. Missouri is currently implementing two public health strategies to drive down the overdose death rate:
Naloxone distribution - with an emphasis in getting naloxone (Narcan) directly into the hands of the people most likely to witness/respond to an overdose
Rapid access to addiction treatment - with an emphasis in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) also called Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
Our programs support both of these strategies: MO-CORPS leads naloxone distribution to first responders and overdose response training, while DOTS+MOBILE supports EMS agencies in initiating buprenorphine in the field.
Click here for more information about Missouri Overdose and Drug-involved Mortality
