Overdose Fatality Review (OD Stat)
OD Stat is the City’s multidisciplinary overdose fatality review team led by the Managing Director’s Office (MDO), the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). On a quarterly basis, the OD Stat team completes in-depth reviews of the lives of four individuals lost to an accidental drug overdose. In addition to providing valuable data to inform policies and programs in Philadelphia, OD Stat seeks to acknowledge the people impacted and lost in the overdose crisis and seeks to better understand the complex circumstances surrounding substance use and overdose risk in Philadelphia. The OD Stat process is largely based on qualitative data which complements and offers context to the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction’s many quantitative datasets.
The review process begins with obtaining data from city agencies including:
Prisons
Police
Probation/Parole
Homeless Services/Street Outreach
Human Services
Substance use/Behavioral health treatment records
Infectious Disease Testing
Emergency Services
In addition to obtaining data from city agencies, the OD Stat team also receives medical records from area hospital systems and, whenever possible, conducts interviews with the friends and family of the individuals reviewed. Throughout the review process, the team identifies missed opportunities for intervention, collaborating to develop policy and programmatic recommendations aimed at overdose prevention. The OD Stat team shares recommendations with agencies, tracking progress or identifying barriers to implementation throughout the process.
Meet the team
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Daneesha Dent, MA
OD STAT MANAGER
Daneesha Dent (she/her) is the OD Stat Program Manager with the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, bringing over 15 years of experience in public health, behavioral health systems, and trauma-informed practice. She leads Philadelphia’s multidisciplinary overdose fatality review process, convening city agencies, health systems, and community partners to translate data into actionable policy and programmatic improvements that strengthen prevention and accountability.
Her work centers on systems coordination, performance analysis, and equity-driven strategy at the intersection of substance use, mental health, housing instability, and structural inequities. Prior to OD Stat, Daneesha served as a Public Health Program Analyst with the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, overseeing program performance and publicly funded services.
She began her career in clinical counseling and survivor advocacy at WOAR – Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence, grounding her leadership in trauma-informed and community-centered practice. Daneesha serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for Bartram’s Garden and as a Trustee for Ad Prima Charter School. She holds degrees from Temple University and Rosemont College and has published on intimate partner violence and the experiences of Black women therapists. -
Chanele Lomax, MPH
OD STAT PROJECT ASSISTANT
Chanele (she/her) received her master’s degree in public health (MPH) with a concentration in epidemiology from Temple University. Her work experience includes working on multiple projects focusing on cancer research and the relationship between diets and fertility outcomes. Through these projects, Chanele gained in-depth experience in participating in interdisciplinary projects. After her academic pursuits, Chanele worked as a Graduate Student Epidemiology Program intern at the DC Department of Health. During this time, she identified how financial, social, and mental health factors influenced maternal health outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic. This experience fueled her desire to serve her community on a large scale. Chanele is looking forward to applying her skills and support to the Overdose Fatality Review team to promote improved quality of life and positive health outcomes.