Friends for Life fentanyl education campaign launches youth materials

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is expanding on its statewide fentanyl education campaign, Friends for Life, with new materials and messaging designed to reach youth ages 12-18 and their parents/caregivers with primary prevention strategies.

Earlier this year, HCA launched the Friends for Life campaign to inform young adults about the risks of illicit fentanyl and the power of naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses. Materials and resources from this phase of the campaign will still be available on the website in addition to the new pieces.

This new prevention-focused phase of the campaign seeks to educate youth and their parents/caregivers about illicit fentanyl, naloxone (Narcan), and prevention strategies like refusal skills. The campaign toolkit will include the following items for free on the campaign website:

• Brochures
• Posters
• Presentations
• Classroom activities
• Social media images
• Branded items
• Videos

The campaign was designed with input from members of priority audiences as well as subject-matter experts responding directly to the overdose crisis. In addition to the toolkit materials, the campaign includes public health education videos that will air September through October across digital platforms.  To learn more about the campaign and to download materials, visit the campaign website (WAFriendsForLife.com).

The campaign also offers no-cost technical assistance, so prevention professionals and coalitions and other organizations can customize toolkit materials and receive support to distribute materials in their networks. If you'd like to learn more about these resources and new Take Back Day materials, please consider attending an upcoming webinar in October. Each 60-minute webinar will provide prevention partners with an:

• Overview of new fentanyl prevention toolkit materials and information for teens and their parents/caregivers, now available through the Washington State Health Care Authority's Friends for Life fentanyl awareness and education campaign.
• Update on Take Back Day materials and customization support. Take Back Day is Saturday, October 28.

Choose from one of the following sessions below and use the Zoom link to attend. No pre-registration is required. (Remember to add it to your calendar!)

• Monday, October 2 (1-2 p.m.) Zoom link

• Wednesday, October 4 (11 a.m. - 12 p.m.) Zoom link

Please email Devan Iyomasa with questions or if you would like to request an accommodation to participate (e.g., closed captioning).