Mayors across the country have played a key role in the nearly 24% drop in U.S. drug overdose deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC data reflects a decline in overdose deaths over the 12 months ending in September 2024, marking the lowest rate since June 2020. Through the Move with the Mayor® (MWTM) mental health initiative, mayors have helped residents improve community mental well-being and reduce risk factors for drug use.
“I am excited that mayors have taken actions that contributed to reducing drug overdose deaths nationally,” said Mayor Leonardo Williams, of Durham, North Carolina. “In Durham and dozens of other communities, mayors have used Move with the Mayor® to help our community members reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, which are risk factors for drug use and overdose.”
John M. Clymer, executive director of the National Forum, also emphasized the importance of local leadership.
“This data confirms what we’ve seen in communities nationwide — mayors are making a difference,” Clymer said. “By prioritizing mental health and well-being through initiatives like Move with the Mayor®, they are not only improving lives but also contributing to a historic decline in overdose deaths.”
By promoting mental well-being and community engagement, participating mayors have supported the broader national overdose prevention strategy. Their efforts, alongside critical investments in the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and MWTM, have helped advance overdose prevention measures and save lives.
To sustain this progress, continued investment in public health and local leadership programs like MWTM remains essential.
For more information, visit natforum.org/connect-with-mwtm.
About Move with the Mayor®
Mayors use Move with the Mayor®(MWTM), an initiative of the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, to encourage active, healthy living while strengthening individual and community resilience. For 11 years and counting, mayors have been using MWTM messaging; program, policy, and infrastructure recommendations; and other tools to empower and protect community members from health threats and improve cardiovascular health and mental health for all. To learn more, visit https://natforum.org/mwtm.
Media Contact:
Amanda Thomas
770-609-0674
amanda.thomas.ic@nationalforum.org
