26/03/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2025
Dearborn sees major drop in overdoses following public health interventions
City overdose cases down more than 30% from 2023 to 2024, as public health programming expands reach across the city
DEARBORN, MI —The City of Dearborn announced today a significant reduction in overdoses, with new data showing a 34% drop in overdose incidents—from 93 in 2023 to 61 in 2024—and a 43% decline in overdose deaths, falling from 14 to 8. This marks a meaningful reduction in lives lost and the first sustained decline in both overdose events and deaths since the opioid crisis was declared a national public health emergency in 2017.
The announcement marks significant progress in Dearborn’s ongoing fight against the opioid crisis. Addressing opioid and substance use has been a top priority for the Dearborn Department of Public Health (DPH) since its launch in April 2022.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud stated, “This is what it looks like when local government takes public health seriously. We approached the opioid crisis not with stigma or shame but with action, compassion, and data-backed solutions. We’re proud of this progress—and we’re only getting started. ”
Among the Department’s earliest interventions was the launch of a Narcan vending machine program, making overdose reversal medication free and accessible to residents across the city, thanks to the State of Michigan’s Michigan Naloxone Direct Portal. The Dearborn initiative was one of the first of its kind in Michigan, and to date, over 10,000 units of Narcan have been dispensed. The program has since expanded, with new locations added and increased public awareness efforts underway.
Ali Abazeed, Chief Public Health Officer, stated, “We built this department with a clear mission: to improve conditions for those closest to the pain. Fewer people are dying because we’ve treated this crisis with urgency—and with dignity for the people we know, love, and live alongside.”
In addition to providing free Narcan, the City employs a grant-funded co-responder program, coordinated in partnership with ACCESS, in which a licensed substance abuse counselor responds to certain calls alongside Dearborn Police officers and provides follow-up support and resources to those experiencing mental health and substance abuse emergencies.
Issa Shahin, Dearborn Chief of Police, stated, “Like communities across the country, the opioid epidemic has caused immeasurable pain among too many Dearborn families. We have addressed this issue head-on utilizing multiple tactics, from providing lifesaving measures during calls to our co-responder program, and together with available public health resources, we’ll continue working to maintain this positive trend.”
DPH has also worked to expand Narcan use and accessibility through multiple channels. The department has distributed kits at widely attended community events and made materials available in multiple languages to ensure broader reach and cultural responsiveness. These efforts are part of a larger push to meet residents where they are and normalize access to lifesaving tools.
In addition to distributing lifesaving medication, the Department has led a broader shift in how the City talks about and responds to substance use.
Abazeed added. “We’ve been deliberate in dignifying the people at the center of this crisis. This is a medical condition—not a moral failure. From the start, we’ve adopted a whole-of-community approach because that’s what this challenge demands.”
The Department continues collaborating with public safety, community organizations, and behavioral health providers to strengthen access to care, reduce harm, and build trust. While the decline in overdoses is a cause for cautious optimism, City leaders say the work must continue.
More information on overdose prevention efforts, including how to access free Narcan, is available on the City’s website and via Dearborn DPH social media, on Facebook and Instagram.
