Erie County launches 'Detect to Protect' awareness campaign

Multimedia, multiyear initiative part of comprehensive efforts to reduce overdoses and end overdose deaths

Submitted by the Erie County Department of Health

The Erie County Department of Health is launching a “Detect to Protect” marketing campaign to raise awareness around opioid poisoning and drug overdose deaths, and focus public attention on the need to test illicit drugs – especially cocaine – for fentanyl.

ECDOH partnered with Impact Marketing and Communications in Albany following a selective RFP process in late 2023. With guidance from the ECDOH office of harm reduction, Impact used county-level data and trends, along with focus groups and interviews with community members, health care and behavioral health providers, people with lived experience, outreach staff, and others involved and impacted by this work.

“The idea of Buffalo as a City of Good Neighbors extends to our entire county and region, too, and the concept of protection as a part of harm reduction is fundamental to this campaign,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. “This campaign underscores the critical message that people can protect themselves, help protect their neighbors, and spread the word to increase awareness and incentivize everyone to be part of addressing this health crisis.”

“This is not a cookie-cutter campaign,” Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein said. “We felt from the very beginning that this campaign should be informed and inspired by our community. The final product features real people from Erie County, many who have been integral parts of our response to this epidemic.”

The campaign emphasizes messages around topics that are critical to understanding the current shape and scope of local overdoses and overdose deaths. These include the dramatic increase in cocaine-related fentanyl overdose deaths, the disproportionate impact on Black and African American residents, and how overdose deaths are occurring in an older age group.

Large format campaign visuals will be on display in the Rath Building lobby throughout the week. They will be placed near the table where free Narcan is always available. Radio advertisements began in April and will continue. Print advertisements will be in place around Erie County along with targeted media and social media ads designed to reach those at most risk of an opioid overdose.

A social media toolkit is available online and will be shared with Erie County Overdose Prevention Task Force member at its Aug. 5 meeting, giving community organizations and individuals access to key messages and encouraging them to share those messages in their networks. Messages will be reviewed and refreshed regularly, as the campaign will run through December 2025.

“We appreciate everyone who has volunteered to be featured in our messages,” office of harm reduction Director Stephen White said. “Too many people in our community have been directly impacted by the overdose epidemic, and our intent is that people will see this campaign and help spread the word.”

√ This campaign is one of several initiatives supported by Erie County’s opioid settlement funds. ECDOH recently announced $5.9 million in settlement funding awards to 19 agencies with projects that align with settlement priorities.

√ The next Erie County Overdose Prevention Task Force meeting is on Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. at the Erie County Emergency and Training Operations Center at 3359 Broadway. Five workgroups will report on current initiatives, and the county will share recent data.

√ ECDOH is coordinating activities around International Overdose Awareness Day for Friday, Aug. 30. In addition to the long-standing tradition of a display of images and names on the lawn of Old County Hall on Franklin Street in Buffalo (10 a.m. to noon), ECDOH has planned a health fair at Northwest Buffalo Community Center with food, service providers and nonprofits, music and speakers (4-6 p.m.). A remembrance event with a reading of names of people who passed away because of a drug overdose will take place (6-8 p.m.). Share names and pictures at our event page.