Rutgers researchers received a $2.9 million grant for a five-year study of fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses among people ages 12 to 29.

The grant comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the NIH.

Using 10 years of national Medicaid data, the team will examine young people who experienced an overdose since 2016, including the drugs involved, whether the overdose was intentional self-poisoning, and the care they received afterward.

Researchers will track overdose trends alongside changes in the drug supply, including the rise of fentanyl and other novel drugs, and compare risks across developmental stages.

Researchers Hillary Samples and Greta Bushnell will assess whether treatment after an overdose is associated with lower risks of repeat overdose and death, including deaths from drug poisoning, suicide, and related causes.

Although care after a nonfatal overdose offers an important opportunity for intervention, evidence about follow-up care and connections to addiction or mental health services remains limited.