OMNI has partnered with Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services since 2016 to facilitate the Virginia State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW). The SEOW brings together representatives from a variety of traditional behavioral health partners and nontraditional sectors to share data and expertise. While the original intent of the group was to focus on substance use prevention and behavioral health, the group’s focus has grown over time to include the role that health disparities and health equity play in behavioral health.

The SEOW aims to develop deliverables that demonstrate how data from different agencies can be used together to tell the full story of substance use and behavioral health status in communities. These deliverables are designed for use across Virginia at both the state and local levels to inform prevention needs and serve as a resource for community organizations and service providers. Deliverables include:

• Virginia COVID-19 Impacts Report

• SEOW 2020 Annual Report

• Health Disparities: An Overview and Examples from Virginia's Substance Use Prevention Efforts (English & Spanish)

• Adverse Childhood Experiences: Data Trends and Prevention Efforts in Virginia

Newest Release! Substance Misuse Prevention in Virginia: Cost Savings & Impacts

Substance misuse costs more than $740 billion per year in the U.S. These costs are far-reaching, including healthcare and treatment costs, costs in the justice system for substance-related offenses, and costs due to lost work productivity. This information sheet provides background on the cost savings of prevention efforts in Virginia.