San Bernardino County Communications Summit highlights fentanyl epidemic awareness and resources

*San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health public relations supervisor Miranda Canseco-Ochoa gives a presentation on the “Fentanyl Doesn’t Care. But We Do” campaign.*

The first San Bernardino County Communications Summit of 2025, hosted by the city of Rancho Cucamonga in partnership with San Bernardino County and GoCal at Victoria Gardens Cultural Center on Tuesday, brought together over 80 communicators from public sector agencies and private organizations across the region. The summit featured a crucial presentation from the county’s Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) on its ongoing fentanyl awareness and resource campaign. The presentation emphasized the escalating local fentanyl epidemic and highlighted how education, outreach and data are being used to reverse the crisis and save lives.

A growing crisis

Miranda Canseco-Ochoa, DBH Public Relations Supervisor, delivered a compelling presentation on DBH’s public awareness campaign “Fentanyl Doesn’t Care. But We Do.”

“Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine,” said Canseco-Ochoa. “It could have a candy look to it, and it is often laced in other (illicitly manufactured) drugs.”

Canseco-Ochoa outlined the sharp rise in fentanyl-related deaths in San Bernardino County—from 74 fatalities in 2019 to 436 in 2023—and shared how coordinated efforts have already contributed to a decline in preliminary 2024 data found on the DBH’s Opioid Data Analytics and Surveillance for Harm Reduction (ODASH) dashboard.

This platform highlights the scope of the epidemic and identifies high-priority areas by providing a visual representation of critical opioid overuse data in San Bernardino County, including overdose rates and trends across geography and demographics. The ODASH serves as a key resource in the collective effort to address this urgent public health crisis.

Turning awareness into action

The DBH awareness campaign, launched in June 2023, focused on educating communities to prevent and respond effectively to opioid overdoses. With the theme “Fentanyl Doesn’t Care, But We Do,” the initiative utilized real-life stories of those lost to overdoses and the impact on their families to show that the crisis affects individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

In 2024, the campaign transitioned from raising awareness to a focus on action and sharing resources with the public. Highlights include:

Free Narcan distribution: Over 600 Narcan kits have been distributed since November 2024, with kits available at the county’s behavioral health and public health clinics.

Targeted media campaigns: High-priority zones and hard-to-reach areas, such as the High Desert and Needles, have been the focus of strategic outreach, including billboard placements and digital media advertisements.

Community partnerships: DBH leveraged existing partnerships and collaborated with organizations such as Cal State San Bernardino, Stop the Void and Into Light Project to amplify its message and host events such as the Into Light exhibition at the Victor Valley Museum, which honored the lives lost to fentanyl overdoses.

“Narcan is a life-saving tool that can temporarily reverses opioid overdoses,” said Canseco-Ochoa. “It’s safe, easy to use and accessible to all ages. We encourage everyone to carry it—because anyone can save a life.”

Empowering the public

Canseco-Ochoa shared how communication professionals and the general public can get involved:

Share the message: Leverage professional and personal networks to raise awareness about the fentanyl crisis and available resources.
Partner with DBH: Collaborate with the department to expand outreach efforts in local communities.
Request Narcan training: DBH offers short, accessible training sessions for individuals, schools, faith-based organizations and other groups.

One county, one voice

“(This) is obviously a difficult, tough conversation to have, and it’s something that’s affecting all of us,” said Jennifer Camacho-Curtis, the city of Rancho Cucamonga’s community affairs officer.

San Bernardino County’s Chief Communications Officer Martha Guzman-Hurtado said, “It’s a responsibility that we all share – not to just inform but to guide, support and ultimately help our communities navigate the most challenging of times.”

The summit reinforced the vital role of communication in effectively engaging residents as government agencies address public health crises and other emergencies.

For more information on DBH’s campaign or to request free Narcan or Narcan training, visit wp.sbcounty.gov/dbh/fentanyl.

Additional County Update News – Jan. 23, 2025