Partners from across Cortland County are working together to coordinate and promote a 3rd communications campaign this summer/fall focused on normalizing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and the important on staying on these medications.
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. This 3rd communications campaign will launch in early August 2023.
Click here for campaign materials
This campaign is about supporting people on or interested in medication for opioid use disorder to access and stay in treatment. It runs August 7 - October 6, 2023. There are many barriers to staying on medication treatment as long as needed. Many people don't know what resources are available to overcome common barriers, and end up not staying in treatment as long as they need. This campaign is designed to both normalize using medication treatment as long as necessary and help people better cope with challenges to staying in treatment.
You can view the campaign kick off slide deck here for an overview of the messaging.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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