Public Health launches new interactive opioid StoryMap to advance data-driven solutions

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Woman working at a computer displaying the Lives in the Balance opioid data StoryMap.

San Bernardino County Public Health launches StoryMap, visualizing opioid impacts across local communities.

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health has launched a new interactive StoryMap, “Lives in the Balance: Behind the Numbers—Mapping the Opioid Epidemic in San Bernardino County.” The StoryMap was presented during the Inland Empire Opioid Crisis Coalition (IEOCC) meeting, a network of local professionals and agencies dedicated to reducing opioid use and opioid-related deaths in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

The StoryMap offers emergency department (ED) data, geographic rate comparisons and local resource information. It provides a clear picture of where opioid-related overdoses and behavioral health concerns are concentrated across the county. The StoryMap is designed for use by community partners—including the San Bernardino County Behavioral Health Department, healthcare systems and community-based organizations—to support equitable planning, resource allocation and coordinated responses. It also helps lay the groundwork for future regional data sharing.

“We believe data is most powerful when it sparks collaboration. This StoryMap makes complex information easier to understand so partners across the county can take informed action together,” said Krystal Corzine, public health epidemiologist with the San Bernardino County Public Health Department.

During the meeting, partners added valuable on-the-ground context to the data. Representatives from both mountain communities and rural desert regions noted isolation as a shared contributing factor to higher emergency department burdens. Transportation barriers were highlighted as a major challenge — not only for reaching emergency care when an overdose occurs but also for returning for follow-up treatment or behavioral health services. Clinical partners also emphasized that maintaining continuity of care after an initial ED visit is particularly difficult for individuals experiencing substance use challenges in geographically remote areas.

Opioid overdoses continue to pose a serious public health challenge in San Bernardino County. By making data more accessible and actionable, the StoryMap equips viewers with the insights needed to strengthen prevention, outreach and treatment efforts. The resource complements ongoing initiatives across the county, including the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health’s “Fentanyl Doesn’t Care. But We Do.” campaign, which raises awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and connects residents to prevention, treatment and recovery resources.

To learn more about overdose prevention resources, including the Behavioral Health’s “Fentanyl Doesn’t Care. But We Do” campaign and access to free naloxone, visit wp.sbcounty.gov/dbh/fentanyl.

Key insights

In 2023, the county’s age-adjusted ED visit rate for opioid-related conditions was about 10% higher than the California state average, a trend consistent for the past three years.

Across three separate indicators — mental health and substance use ED visits, opioid-related ED visits, and naloxone-related ED visits — rural areas consistently emerged as the areas with the highest burden.

Explore Public Health’s StoryMap collection to view this StoryMap and other data-driven public health projects. To learn more about public health initiatives, visit dph.sbcounty.gov.

Additional County Update News – June 18, 2026