The goal of the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) program is to reduce illness and related deaths caused by a wide range of infectious disease threats. The ELC Program provides annual funding, strategic direction and technical assistance to domestic jurisdictions for core capacities in epidemiology, laboratory, and health information technology activities. In addition to strengthening core infectious disease capacities nationwide, this cooperative agreement also supports a myriad of specific infectious disease programs.

The complex and changing nature of the opioid overdose epidemic highlights the need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and cohesive public health approach. States, territories, and local partners need access to complete and timely data on prescribing, and on nonfatal and fatal drug overdoses to understand the scope, direction, and contours of the epidemic. They also need the tools and resources to then use data to inform and target their prevention and response efforts.