SPiER: Transforming Healthcare Systems to Save Lives
The Suicide Prevention & Integration via Electronic Records (SPiER) Project, led by Zero Overdose and supported by the Four Pines Fund, is a national initiative working to make evidence-based suicide prevention tools a standard part of healthcare delivery.
SPiER addresses critical gaps in suicide prevention by developing tools and technologies that integrate into existing systems, enabling safer and more responsive care. The project supports suicide prevention across the full continuum of care— inpatient, outpatient, emergency departments (ERs), and community-based organizations (CBOs)— ensuring that no matter where an individual seeks care, providers have the systems in place to respond.
SPiER is laying the groundwork for a unified, technology-enabled approach to suicide prevention— ensuring every care setting is equipped to respond effectively and consistently.
Why This Matters
Today, most healthcare systems rely on electronic medical records (EMRs) to manage patient care, yet many lack integrated features to identify and respond to suicide risk. This leaves critical gaps in care during high-risk moments when timely intervention could save
lives.
The SPiER Project works to bridge these gaps by embedding suicide prevention workflows, screening tools, and decision support directly into EMRs, while also incorporating complementary technologies like standalone screening kiosks, population health tools, and real-time analytics.
By leveraging both EMR-based and external solutions, SPiER offers a scalable, flexible approach to suicide prevention—ensuring healthcare systems and community partners are equipped to respond effectively, consistently, and at every point of care
Impact of Your Support
Your support helps drive a national transformation in how healthcare and community systems respond to suicide risk. By investing in SPiER, you’re enabling the development of integrated tools, scalable technologies, and implementation strategies that make suicide prevention a consistent, system-wide standard.
Funding ensures we can:
• Expand outreach to EMR and technology partners
• Accelerate development of suicide prevention workflows and toolkits
• Launch pilot implementations across diverse care settings
• Build the infrastructure for long-term adoption and sustainability
Together, we can close the gap between what we know works and what systems are equipped to deliver—saving lives by turning innovation into action.
Driving Systemic Change: What the SPiER Logic Model Shows
The SPiER Logic Model outlines a clear path from planning to measurable impact—showing how national partnerships, integrated tools, and data-driven implementation strategies come together to strengthen suicide prevention across healthcare and community systems.
The SPiER Logic Model illustrates how each component of the project—from partnerships and tools to implementation and evaluation—works together to drive national impact. It follows a left-to-right flow:
- Inputs: The people, partnerships, and infrastructure that power the work.
- Activities: The core actions, including vendor outreach, resource development, and data collection.
- Outputs: Deliverables like toolkits, surveys, and early implementation pilots.
- Outcomes: System-level adoption, improved workflows, and stronger prevention practices.
- Impact: Long-term reductions in suicide risk and scalable improvements in care quality.a shared understanding of SPiER’s progress and supports alignment across stakeholders, implementers, and funders.
Click for full size — A colorful chart titled SPER Logic Model displays six columns—Inputs/Resources, Activities/Planning, Outputs/Deliverables, Short-term Outcomes, Medium-term Outcomes, Long-term Outcomes, and Impact—with labeled boxes including zero overdose assist.
Contact Information
For more information about the SPiER Project, please reach out to:
Dr. Virna Little
Co-Founder, COO, Zero Overdose
[email protected]
Kelly Samuelson
Project Director, Zero Overdose
[email protected]
Kiosk Industry Supporters
As part of our committee
- Barney Stacher with ReThink Retail Advisory
- Craig Keefner – industrygroup manager and semi-retired kiosk expert
- To participate contact [email protected]
Zero Overdose (zerooverdose.org) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing overdose deaths by treating overdose as a preventable public health crisis. The organization addresses the escalating overdose epidemic in the United States, where more than 106,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021, with early data for 2022 indicating nearly 110,000 deaths—the highest number ever recorded2. Zero Overdose works with individuals, organizations, and communities across more than 36 states and Puerto Rico, providing tools, resources, and training to reduce overdose events and strengthen harm reduction efforts23.
Mission and Approach
Zero Overdose’s mission is to significantly reduce risks associated with substance use and prevent overdose-related events and deaths. The organization emphasizes that overdose is preventable and equips communities with evidence-based strategies and interventions5.
Overdose Safety Planning
A cornerstone of their approach is the Overdose Risk Questionnaire and Safety Plan Template©, a structured, patient-centered tool modeled after suicide prevention safety planning247. This plan is designed to:
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Assess and mitigate overdose risk based on individual needs and circumstances.
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Facilitate open discussions about addiction and overdose risk between patients, families, and providers.
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Develop personalized strategies to reduce overdose risk by identifying triggers, accessing support, and connecting with treatment resources47.
The Overdose Safety Plan consists of seven key components, including identifying risk factors, actions to reduce risk, wellness strategies, support networks, crisis contacts, personal motivations for recovery, and next steps7. This plan is integrated into clinical care and is used by a range of providers, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, community behavioral health clinics, and substance use treatment programs nationwide47.
Services and Training
Zero Overdose offers:
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Training and Technical Assistance:Â Programs for healthcare providers, organizations, and communities on overdose prevention, safety planning, motivational interviewing, and harm reduction56.
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Specialist Training:Â Overdose Safety Planning Specialist Training tailored to organizational needs6.
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Resources:Â Free access to the Overdose Safety Plan template and related materials online7.
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Partnerships: Collaboration with health systems, including integration of their tools into electronic health record platforms (e.g., Cantata Health Solutions’ Arize EHR), to enhance overdose risk management and care coordination9.
Leadership and Expertise
Zero Overdose is led by experienced professionals in substance use disorder treatment, trauma-informed care, and program development. Notably, Kelly Samuelson, LADC and MSW candidate, specializes in delivering evidence-based training, facilitating workshops, and developing curricula for diverse populations24.
Impact and Recognition
The organization’s safety planning model has been successfully implemented across New York State and in other states, earning recognition for its innovative approach to overdose prevention7. Training evaluations show increased confidence and willingness among providers to discuss and address overdose risks with patients7.
How to Get Involved
Anyone—individuals at risk, family members, community members, or healthcare providers—can access Zero Overdose’s resources and participate in training. The organization welcomes partnerships and donations to further its mission248.
Summary Table
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mission | Prevent overdose deaths through proactive, community-based interventions |
| Key Tool | Overdose Risk Questionnaire and Safety Plan Template© |
| Services | Training, technical assistance, resource provision, partnership development |
| Implementation | Used in 36+ states, Puerto Rico, FQHCs, behavioral health clinics, and social service agencies |
| Leadership | Led by experts in substance use disorder, trauma-informed care, and program development |
| How to Access | Resources and training available via zerooverdose.org |
Zero Overdose stands at the forefront of overdose prevention, providing practical, evidence-based solutions and fostering a nationwide network committed to saving lives235.