Community Partnership
Lancaster County Joining Forces is a collaboration of organizations and community members working to save lives and support those affected by addiction. We connect partners across the county and help coordinate efforts. We regularly review data to identify who is at highest risk of overdose and what interventions can prevent deaths. While we do not provide direct services, we offer free naloxone. Services and supports for children and families are available through Joining Forces for Children.
Introduction to Joining Forces
Opioid-related overdose deaths are a major public health crisis nationwide. After the U.S. declared a national public health emergency in 2017 and Pennsylvania followed with a statewide disaster emergency in 2018, Lancaster County continued to experience overdose rates higher than the national average. In 2017, the county recorded 168 overdose deaths—about 31 per 100,000 residents—a 180% increase since 2014.
In response, Lancaster Joining Forces launched in 2017 with backbone support from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. The collaborative works to reduce overdose deaths by coordinating efforts across sectors, strengthening existing initiatives, and addressing gaps in services and resources.
These efforts helped reduce overdose deaths in Lancaster County by 36% in 2018 and 4% in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges, contributing to increased risk factors such as mental health strain, economic hardship, and shifts in treatment and recovery supports. In 2020, the U.S., Pennsylvania, and Lancaster County all saw increases in overdose deaths, with Lancaster County experiencing a 40% rise.
Despite these challenges, Lancaster Joining Forces and its partners adapted—shifting services, expanding virtual supports, and remaining focused on preventing fatal overdoses. As community needs continue to evolve, the collaborative remains positioned to monitor data and implement best-practice strategies.
The mission of Lancaster County Joining Forces is to prevent and reduce the most harmful impacts of substance use and promote recovery.
Our Goals
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Prevent early deaths caused by substance use.
Strategy 1: Improve medical care for individuals with substance use disorders. Strategy 2: Strengthen evidence-based overdose prevention.
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Reduce addiction and dependence.
Strategy 3: Strengthen school and community-based prevention programs. Strategy 4: Improve systems of care for substance use. Strategy 5: Improve housing and employment resources to support recovery.
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Prevent and reduce trauma to children and families caused by substance use.
Strategy 6: Provide and promote resources to support families affected by substance use. Strategy 7: Decrease isolation and stigma associated with substance use and treatment.
