HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — In the most recent data available, deaths from drug overdoses in 2023 declined both nationally and in Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virginia Department of Health. U.S drug deaths were down 4%, and Virginia deaths fell 1%. Tes La Dieu, a population health manager for the Virginia Department of Health, said those numbers prove that outreach is paying off. "It tells us that we're doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing, which is really training the community, giving them education on how to recognize and respond to an overdose and then giving them the tools that they need," she said in a Friday afternoon interview. One of those tools is the opioid reversal drug known as Narcan. It's showing up in more places, including vending machines on college campuses. La Dieu said that kind of access saves lives, especially among young people. "They can feel more equipped to to be empowered and respond to an overdose if they see it in their friends," La Dieu said. "It's much more accessible than it ever was 10 years ago. Now there's a big focus on Narcan saturation in our communities." Good Samaritan laws that shield people from prosecution if they report someone in crisis also play a role in the improving death rates. "Any measures, laws, policies that are in place that reduce the stigma regarding substance use are going to help prevent people from feeling like they can't speak up," La Dieu said. Nationally, the 4% decrease in overdose deaths was the first decrease since 2018. While deaths were down among Americans aged 15 to 24, the number of older Americans 65 and above actually went up by more than a percent. In Virginia, deaths in 2023 were down for a total of 2,463 and eight out of every ten Virginia deaths were connected to fentanyl. VDH is focusing on harm reduction and providing resources so people "can see if the drugs that are going to be consumed are laced with anything like fentanyl and psilocybin," La Dieu said. According to the health department, since January 2023, Project LEAD has held 69 REVIVE! trainings for 1,330 people, and has distributed 3,065 harm reduction resource kits (which include resources, drug testing strips, etc.), and distributed 2,660 doses of Narcan. REVIVE! training is the Opoid Overdose and Naloxone Education program for Virginia and provides training on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose emergency using Narcan. More monthly Narcan trainings are scheduled for January thru April.