Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Communications Campaign Hub
Partners from across Cortland County are working together to coordinate and promote a communications campaign this spring focused on normalizing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and raising awareness of how to access it.
As part of the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), we are working to help spread the word about how MOUD is an evidence-based treatment for managing a chronic condition--opioid use disorder--that has been shown to reduce the risk of overdose and can help improve lives. We are inviting interested community agencies, other groups, and concerned individuals to get involved and support this effort by sharing the materials below. The campaign will launch in early March 2023. This is the second of three campaigns that will be carried out over the next 18 months.
What is Healing Cortland?
Healing Cortland is a community-wide initiative to better understand and improve opioid-related outcomes in Cortland County. Using a data-driven approach, the project’s goal is to reduce fatal and nonfatal overdoses, expand access to prevention and harm reduction resources, lessen stigma around opioid use, and help develop a more responsive treatment and recovery infrastructure.
In doing so, the Healing Cortland initiative will support the adoption of evidence-based practices that better serve the prevention, treatment, and recovery needs of the county. Healing Cortland is currently taking part in the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), which runs from July 1, 2022 until December 31, 2023. The Healing Cortland initiative will take lessons learned from the HCS to create a sustainable approach that serves Cortland County after this grant-funded project is over. By bringing together partners from the community, the initiative will foster a proactive framework for collecting timely data, sharing analysis across agencies, and better responding to opioid-related trends that impact the people of Cortland County.
Naloxone and Fentanyl Awareness: Fall 2022
Background
According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, there were over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from April 2020-April 2021. This represents an almost six-fold increase from the year before. In Cortland County alone, there were 16 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2021, up from 8 in 2020. All opioid-overdose deaths that occurred last year were reported to have had fentanyl present.
Who's the intended audience of the campaign?
This campaign aims to reach two main groups:
Adults who use drugs, which may be contaminated with fentanyl (e.g., counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine), and do not know about or seek fentanyl.
Adults who use drugs, which may be contaminated with fentanyl (e.g., counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine), and know about and/or seek fentanyl.
We are also looking to reach the general public to encourage support for the use of naloxone and reduce stigma.
What do we hope people will learn?
We hope people who see these campaign materials will:
Understand that many drugs can be contaminated with fentanyl, and that fentanyl is dangerous, even in small doses
Understand that using a drug potentially contaminated with fentanyl is especially dangerous when no one else is present, able to respond, rescue with naloxone, and call 911 for help
Understand harm reduction approaches to reduce overdose risk
Understand that naloxone can reverse overdoses and save lives, and anyone can carry it and use it
Understand that naloxone trainings are available in their community which provides free naloxone and training on how to use it
Carry and use naloxone immediately if an overdose is suspected
MOUD Awareness: Spring 2023 (March 6-May 5)
Background
Opioid use disorder is a chronic condition, and it's normal to manage a chronic condition with medication. Prescriptions like buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone--often grouped as MOUD (medication for opioid use disorder)--are evidence-based treatment options that have been shown to reduce overdose risk and can help people reach and sustain recovery.
Who's the intended audience of the campaign?
This campaign aims to reach three main groups:
People with Living Experience (PWLE), People with opioid use disorder (OUD)
Key Influencers: Family members, friends, significant others, and opinion leaders (faith-based leaders, civic leaders, employers)
Providers: Primary care practitioners, nurse prescribers, pharmacists, first responders, dentists, referral sources (employee assistance programs, jails, administrators)
What do we hope people will learn?
We hope people who see these campaign materials will:
Increase knowledge of what medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are and where they are available locally,
Reduce stigma about the use of MOUD, and
Increase access to and demand for MOUD.
MOUD Retention: Fall 2023
More info coming soon!
Campaign Partners
Healing Cortland is excited to be partnering with a wide number of agencies across the community to share and track the success of the campaign. We are always looking for other partners to join in. Contact us if your agency is interested in sharing our social media content or helping to get the word out in another way.
What is this site?
This site is a digital toolkit for other local organizations and service providers that want to get involved and/or support the HCS Communications Campaigns. Here, you will find:
images and text for social media posts
templates for blog posts and press releases
printable flyers and posters
information about upcoming events taking place in coordination with the campaign
Each of the campaigns has a section below with a link to a Google Drive folder, as well as some context and messaging for the campaign's topic.
Please feel free to use any of these materials and reach out to us if you have any questions!