Established in 2015, the Central Valley Opioid Safety Coalition came together in response to the California Health Care Foundation request for application-Regional Opioid Safety Coalitions. Although the coalition was not funded, the membership moved forward with the formation of the coalition.

Following federal guidelines on reducing opioid related deaths, the CVOSC first order of business was to address Safe Prescribing through a series of educational lectures. The lectures address the importance of understanding pain, pain management and safe prescribing.

The goal of these lectures was to initiate discussion with medical providers about the issue and set the platform for establishing safe prescribing guidelines in emergency rooms throughout the region.

In 2017, the CVOSC was granted funding by the California Department of Public Health to focus on Safe Prescribing, Increase Use of Naloxone and Public Education and Media Outreach.

Since, the CVOSC has been successful in engaging 14 hospitals in the region in adopting a universal process of safe prescribing in the emergency rooms through the use of safe prescribing guidelines.

The coalition has engaged law enforcement in discussions regarding the importance of carrying naloxone and established partnerships with pharmacist in the region to learn of their interest in furnishing naloxone.

Opioid Awareness education has been created to include: Public Service Announcement (PSA), printed material, and media messaging to educate physicians and the general public on the importance of safe guarding medication and proper disposal