The DOPE SRO Project: A Peer-Led Initiative to Prevent Overdose in Supportive Housing

In 2021, the U.S. recorded over 100,000 opioid overdose deaths, 1,361 of which were in San Francisco. As the rates of fentanyl use and contamination increased over the last several years, so have overdose rates.

In San Francisco, many overdoses were occurring in private residences due to the decreased likelihood that a bystander or other individual would respond in the event of an overdose. Combined with COVID-19 and shelter-in-place initiatives, formerly unhoused individuals were moved into hotels and supportive housing where this risk of overdose doubled. The risk of overdose for Black men was six times higher compared to their white counterparts.

To be responsive to this trend, the DOPE Project collaborated with San Francisco Department of Health (SFDPH) to design and implement the DOPE SRO Project. Particularly during COVID-19, the program’s original design demanded more responsive strategies to keep everyone safe. The team worked together to support the implementation of the project, responding to emergent needs from both the SRO site staff and peer responders. Collaboration with the health department was critical to engage in a coordinated, multi-pronged effort to plan, implement, and evaluate the efficacy of the initiative.