About 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2023. That means roughly 107,000 families went through exactly what you are going through right now — and most of them had no guide, no roadmap, and no one who could tell them what came next.
I've been inside homes after overdose deaths. What strikes me every time is how alone the family feels, and how much practical information they need but nobody is giving them. This guide is for those families.
The First Hours: What to Do Immediately
Call 911 if you haven't already. Even if you are certain the person has died, a medical professional must confirm the death and a medical examiner or coroner must be involved to issue the death certificate. Do not skip this step. The death certificate is needed for almost everything that comes next.
Do not move, clean, or disturb anything. This is a potential crime scene until law enforcement determines otherwise. An overdose death — especially involving fentanyl, heroin, or prescription opioids — may trigger an investigation to determine if drugs were supplied by a third party (which can result in drug-induced homicide charges against a dealer). Leave the scene exactly as it is.
Who responds to an overdose death:
- Police officers (first)
- Medical examiner or coroner
- Detectives (standard for any drug-related death)
- Possibly DEA or narcotics investigators, depending on circumstances
When the scene is released: Get written confirmation from law enforcement that the scene has been cleared. This documentation protects you and is often required by insurance companies before professional cleanup begins.
Protect yourself physically. If you need to enter the space before cleanup for any reason (retrieving important documents, securing the property), do not touch any drug paraphernalia, residue, or bodily fluids. Fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin and is lethal at microgram quantities. Even casual contact with residue-contaminated surfaces carries risk. More on this below.
The Cleanup Question: What Families Get Wrong
This is where I see the most dangerous mistakes. Families — often trying to spare other family members or protect themselves emotionally — attempt to clean the scene themselves. Sometimes they hire a regular cleaning service. Both are serious errors.
Why DIY cleanup is dangerous:
- Biological material (blood, bodily fluids) requires specialized handling and regulated disposal — it's a biohazard
- Fentanyl and its analogs can be absorbed through skin contact or inhalation of powder particles — a regular vacuum or mop spreads contamination rather than removing it
- You may unknowingly disturb evidence if the investigation isn't fully complete
- The psychological impact on the person doing the cleaning is significant and often underestimated
Why hiring a regular cleaner is dangerous:
- Unlicensed cleaners don't have the PPE, training, or equipment to handle biohazardous material safely
- They may not recognize fentanyl residue risk and can become victims themselves
- Regular cleaning chemicals do not deactivate fentanyl — only specialized decontamination protocols work
- Many refuse the job entirely when they realize what they're dealing with
What you actually need: A certified biohazard remediation company. These firms specialize in exactly this kind of work. They have the training, equipment, regulatory compliance, and insurance to handle it safely and thoroughly. See our guide on how to find a legitimate cleanup company — the industry has predatory operators who target families in crisis, and knowing what to look for protects you.
Typical overdose scene cleanup costs: $1,500–$5,000 depending on the extent of contamination, affected surfaces, and whether fentanyl decontamination is required. In most cases, homeowner's or renter's insurance covers this. Call your insurer before hiring anyone and get a claim number first.
Find a vetted biohazard cleanup company in your area →
Fentanyl Residue: The Risk Nobody Tells You About
If fentanyl was involved — and given today's drug supply, even if the deceased was using what they thought was heroin, cocaine, or pressed pills, fentanyl was likely involved — the cleanup has an additional layer of risk that most families don't know about.
Fentanyl is estimated to be 50–100 times more potent than morphine. The lethal dose is approximately 2 milligrams — less than a few grains of salt. When someone overdoses on fentanyl, residue can remain on surfaces, furniture, carpets, and HVAC systems. It doesn't smell. It doesn't look like anything. It can be transferred by touch.
What fentanyl residue contamination looks like:
- Drug paraphernalia and any surfaces near it (tables, nightstands, floors)
- Upholstered furniture
- Carpets and rugs
- Air ducts if the person smoked fentanyl
- Anything the person handled while using
Who is at risk: Everyone who enters the space before decontamination — family members, future occupants, cleaning staff, pets. First responders receive naloxone training for this reason.
The right solution: Professional fentanyl decontamination uses specialized testing to identify contaminated surfaces and chemical neutralization protocols to deactivate and safely remove residue. This is different from standard biohazard cleanup and requires specific training. See our detailed fentanyl decontamination guide for the full process.
Legal Considerations: Good Samaritan Laws and the Investigation
Many people delay calling 911 after an overdose death because they are afraid of legal consequences. This is understandable — and it leads to preventable deaths when the person might still have been saved. It also complicates the aftermath when someone does die.
Good Samaritan laws: As of 2026, most U.S. states have some form of Good Samaritan law that provides limited legal protection to people who call 911 during a drug overdose. The scope of protection varies significantly by state — some protect only the caller, some protect everyone present, some protect only for possession charges and not other offenses. Do not assume you know what your state's law covers. Look it up.
What the investigation involves: Police will document the scene, collect evidence (including any drugs present), and the medical examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Toxicology results typically take 2–8 weeks. The death certificate will initially list cause of death as "pending" until toxicology is complete.
Drug-induced homicide laws: Many states have laws that allow prosecutors to charge the person who supplied the drugs with homicide if the user dies. If law enforcement believes a dealer was involved, expect their investigation to continue well after the scene is released. Cooperate fully — this serves justice.
Your rights during the investigation: You can ask law enforcement when the scene will be released and request written documentation. You do not need to consent to additional searches beyond the initial investigation. If you have questions about your rights, consult an attorney.
The Estate and Practical Steps
The bureaucracy does not pause for grief. Here is what needs to happen and roughly when.
Within the first 48 hours:
- Notify immediate family
- Secure the property if the person lived alone (change locks, secure valuables)
- Contact their employer if applicable
- Do not post on social media until immediate family is notified
Within the first week:
- Obtain the death certificate — your funeral home will assist, or contact the medical examiner's office. Note: overdose deaths requiring toxicology will have a delayed final cause of death, but an interim certificate is usually available
- Locate will or estate documents
- Contact life insurance companies (see section below)
- Notify Social Security Administration if the person received benefits
Within the first month:
- Consult an estate attorney, especially if there is property, significant assets, or complicated family dynamics. See our guide on working with an estate attorney after sudden death
- Begin probate process if required
- Cancel or transfer accounts, subscriptions, utilities
- Address outstanding debts through the estate (not out of your own pocket)
Life Insurance After an Overdose Death
This is one of the most misunderstood areas, and getting it wrong can cost families tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The short answer: Most life insurance policies DO pay out for accidental overdose deaths. An accidental overdose — where the person did not intend to die — is generally covered the same as any other accidental death. Intentional overdose (suicide by overdose) is subject to the contestability period, similar to other suicide deaths.
The complication: The insurance company will investigate. They will request the toxicology report and review the circumstances. If there is any suggestion the death was intentional, they may attempt to classify it as suicide to deny or delay the claim.
What to do:
- Locate all life insurance policies immediately — check employer benefits, which often include group life insurance that people forget about
- Note the policy issue date (contestability period is typically 2 years from issue date)
- File the claim as soon as you have the death certificate, even if cause of death is still "pending toxicology"
- If the claim is denied, consult an insurance attorney before accepting the denial — many work on contingency and the policy language often supports the family
- Document everything: every phone call with the insurer (date, time, name, what was said), every document you submit
Employer benefits to check: Group life insurance, AD&D (accidental death and dismemberment), any pension survivor benefits, and unpaid wages/vacation. These often get overlooked.
Grief After an Overdose Death: What Makes It Different
Overdose grief has layers that other losses don't carry.
There is almost always a complicated history — years of watching someone you love struggle, cycles of hope and relapse, moments where you thought you'd get the call and moments where you thought they were going to make it. When the call finally comes, the grief is mixed with exhaustion, and sometimes with relief, and then guilt about the relief.
What's normal after an overdose loss:
- Anger — at the person, at the drug dealers, at the treatment system, at yourself
- Guilt — replaying every intervention, every argument, every moment you "could have done something"
- Relief — and the shame that comes with it. This is more common than you think and does not mean you loved them less
- Stigma — grief that can't be fully expressed because of how people judge addiction
- Isolation — other people don't always know how to respond to this kind of loss
- Complicated feelings about addiction itself — grief, anger, and compassion existing simultaneously
What you should know: Addiction is a disease. The person you lost was fighting something most people don't understand and can't control through willpower. Their death is not a moral failure — theirs or yours. The research is clear that addiction restructures the brain. You cannot love someone out of it. You cannot force someone into recovery when they aren't ready. And you couldn't have saved them by doing something different.
Finding your people: Grief after an overdose loss benefits from being with people who have been through it. General grief support groups are helpful, but groups specifically for overdose and addiction loss have something different — the specific knowledge of what this is like. Look for:
- Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP) — national organization, free groups
- Shatterproof — family resource organization focused on addiction grief
- Local chapter of Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) — even after loss
- Online communities at r/GriefSupport and specific overdose loss communities
Professional support: A therapist with experience in grief and trauma — specifically someone familiar with addiction and complicated grief — can make a significant difference. This is not something you should try to process entirely alone. See our guide to grief counseling resources for how to find the right support.
Find a grief therapist experienced with overdose loss →
If Children Were Present or Affected
If children in the household were present when the overdose occurred, witnessed the discovery, or had a close relationship with the person who died, their needs require immediate attention.
What children need to hear:
- What happened in age-appropriate, honest terms — not graphic detail, but not vague euphemisms that cause more fear
- That it was not their fault, repeatedly and clearly
- That the adults around them are still safe and still there
- That feelings — any feelings — are okay to have
For young children (under 7): "Daddy/Mommy died. Their body got very sick because of medicine/drugs that were too strong for it. It wasn't your fault. We are going to take care of you."
For older children and teenagers: Be more honest about addiction and what happened. Teenagers who find out from peers or the internet — which they will — feel more betrayed than those who heard the truth from family. "They died from a drug overdose. Drug addiction is a serious illness. It is not your fault and it is not something you could have prevented."
When to get professional help immediately: If a child found the person, witnessed the overdose, or was alone with them for any period of time — trauma-informed therapy is not optional. This is one of the most significant risk factors for complicated grief, PTSD, and long-term mental health consequences in children. Act quickly. See our guide on talking to children about traumatic death.
The Property: What Happens to Where It Happened
There is no right answer to what you do with the physical space. Some families need it cleaned and restored quickly. Others cannot go back in the room for months. Both are valid.
If it's a rental: You have specific rights and responsibilities. In most states, you must notify the landlord of the death but are not liable for cleanup costs if the death was not due to your negligence. The security deposit situation varies. See our guide on landlord and tenant rights after a death.
If it's a home you own: Once professionally remediated and documented, the property is physically safe. Value impact depends on the type of death and your local real estate market. Professional remediation with certification documentation significantly mitigates impact. See our guide on property value after a death.
If you need to sell: We can connect you with real estate professionals experienced with sensitive property situations — no pressure, no judgment, just options.
Get options for selling the property →
What Nobody Tells You
A few things I've observed from working with families after overdose deaths that you probably won't hear from anyone else:
The shame is yours to let go of. You don't have to explain how they died to anyone. "They died suddenly" is a complete sentence. Who you tell, how much you share, and when — all of that is your choice.
Other people will say the wrong thing. "They made their choice" and "at least they're not suffering anymore" are examples of things that feel true to the person saying them and hurt deeply to hear. The people saying them mean well. You're allowed to set limits on those conversations.
You may experience complicated feelings about their addiction for years. Grief and anger at the disease and at the person can coexist without canceling each other out. You can miss someone desperately and also feel furious that they left. That's not a contradiction — it's what loving someone through addiction and loss actually feels like.
The first year of anniversaries is the hardest. Birthdays, holidays, the anniversary of the death. These hit differently. Anticipate them. Have a plan for who you want around you. Give yourself permission to handle them however you need to.
You are not alone. 107,000 families in 2023 are part of the same community you just joined. Many of them have walked exactly this road. Reach out to them.
This guide is written from direct experience working with families after traumatic events, including overdose deaths. It is not a substitute for professional mental health, legal, or financial advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, also serves those dealing with substance use crises). SAMHSA helpline: 1-800-662-4357.