Shana Norton, Deputy Coroner of Hardin County, is passionate about her community and is committed to making a difference. In this edition of Bloom Kentucky’s Growing Hope series, we’re highlighting the incredible opioid abatement efforts in Hardin County (and the incredible people too!).

Norton describes her role as “one piece of the larger puzzle” when talking about coming together to address the opioid epidemic in her community. Norton is part of an Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Team which initially started in 2021 after a surge of youth were dying of drug overdoses. Norton and others felt compelled to do something in Hardin County and felt creating a team dedicated to better understanding risk factors, circumstances, and identifying “holes” in the system would change the trajectory of her community. 

The team includes many community leaders and decision makers – from individuals in the school system, to DCBS local workers, hospital staff, and even CEOs of local healthcare systems. 

The team is centered around four main goals:

  1. Identifying missed opportunities for prevention and intervention
  2. Developing and improving interagency partnerships
  3. Implementing data-driven prevention and intervention strategies
  4. Reducing overdose fatalities

Using data to drive decision-making, Shana and her team make informed decisions to meet the needs where they exist. This past year, Shana shared that from January to July of 2024, Hardin County EMS responded to 133 nonfatal drug overdoses. 

Through reporting, regular meetings, and anticipation of the local opioid abatements, Shana and her team were able to successfully make the request to Hardin County Fiscal Court to use local abatement funds to develop a Quick Response Team. She shared that the data was compelling in making a clear case for the investment. 

What is a Quick Response Team?

Shana described a Quick Response Team (QRT) as a collaborative effort between local law enforcement, first responders, and healthcare providers committed to helping individuals with substance misuse, those interested in recovery, and individuals who have overdosed. 

“Our goal is to have a proactive team ready to support the needs of our community… We will be hiring a Quick Response Officer and they will be working to create a team that reflects the needs and people in our community. We believe that this QRT is going to change the data for the better in Hardin County.” 

Hardin County’s dedicated efforts to combat the opioid epidemic exemplify the power of community collaboration and data-driven decision making. Led by passionate individuals like Shana Norton, the Overdose Fatality Review Team has made significant strides in understanding and addressing factors contributing to drug overdoses in the community. The investment in the Quick Response Team represents a promising step toward providing timely and support intervention.

Know a community that needs to be celebrated for their work with local opioid abatement funds? Email hedelen@kyyouth.org to start the dialogue!