Oregon Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission

10/06/2026

The ADPC has important new data to share about primary prevention in Oregon.

is a crucial part of the substance use continuum of care – and it’s clear Oregon could give more support to substance use and . However, to know where to start, the state needed a better picture of the full prevention landscape.

So, ADPC commissioned a programmatic and fiscal inventory of primary prevention services in Oregon. The report, published on the ADPC website and delivered to the state legislature, shows what primary prevention services exist across Oregon, how they are funded, and who does the work. It also offers recommendations on what needs to change.

To read an overview of the findings and view the full report, check out the latest ADPC blog post

If you’ve ever visited the ADPC website, you may have noticed the Commission’s logo features an Oregon-shaped puzzle. That’s in part because Oregon’s SUD services and programs aren’t always connect…

09/30/2026

Oregon’s Opioid Settlement Learning Collaborative is a monthly, virtual series for cities and counties receiving direct opioid settlements.

These meetings provide an opportunity for city and county officials to learn about and discuss national and state updates, as well as spending best practices. Additionally, recipients share how they are using opioid settlement funds to prevent , as well as how they're using the funds to treat and support people with substance use disorders in their communities.

You can find more information on the ADPC website https://www.oregon.gov/adpc/Pages/Local-Opioid-Settlement-Learning-Collaborative.aspx

09/24/2026

Did you know that Sept. 24 is Save a Life Day? It’s a nationwide day of action that aims to improve access to naloxone, as well as training for the overdose reversal medication.

In Oregon, a new program just launched at www.JustInCaseOregon.org – anyone in the state can get naloxone delivered to them. Ordering from Just In Case Oregon is free, private, and easy. Check out the site, and be ready to save a life

Request naloxone by mail in Oregon.

09/23/2026

Tomorrow is Save a Life Day! If you're in the Bend area, stop by the Almadorada Coffee Shop to pick up free naloxone and learn more about the opioid reversal medication from the Deschutes County Health Services 🫶

Deschutes County Health Services, in partnership with Almadorada coffee shop, will host a pop-up naloxone distribution event on Thursday, Sept. 24, from noon to 3 p.m. at Almadorada, 180 NW Oregon Ave., Bend.

The pop-up is part of Save A Life Day, a nationwide day of action that helps people recognize and reverse opioid overdoses. Community members can pick up free naloxone during the event.

“Save a Life Day is a chance for people to learn simple steps that could save someone’s life,” said Ana Woodburn, Deschutes County Health Services’ overdose prevention and response strategist. ”This event is another way for Health Services to reach people in the community and give them the tools they need to respond to an overdose.”

In January 2025, Health Services launched a local campaign to address opioid overdoses in Deschutes County. The Friends for Life campaign encourages people to carry naloxone, recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and act quickly in an emergency.

Through the campaign website, ads and local training events, community members can find clear information about fentanyl and other opioids. They can also learn simple, lifesaving steps to take during an overdose. The campaign is modeled after the original Friends for Life campaign created by the Washington State Health Care Authority.

Local data show encouraging trends in Deschutes County since the campaign launch. According to the Oregon Health Authority, emergency department visits for nonfatal opioid overdoses in Deschutes County fell from 56.08 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 33.32 per 100,000 people in 2025. The share of suspected overdose deaths involving fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, also fell from 66% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.

State and national data also show a decline in drug overdose deaths, including deaths involving opioids.

Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is a safe medicine that can reverse an overdose and restore breathing when it is given quickly. In most cases, naloxone starts working right away, but if a person does not respond within two or three minutes, they can be given another dose.

Naloxone is the first step in responding to an overdose, but it is not the only step.

If you believe someone is experiencing an overdose, always call 9-1-1 and stay with them until help arrives. Naloxone can wear off within 30 to 90 minutes, and the person may begin overdosing again without medical care. Naloxone is simple to use, safe and legal for anyone to carry in Oregon.

To find information about opioids, overdose prevention, overdose response and how to find and use naloxone visit the Friends for Life website.

The Oregon Health Authority also offers naloxone by mail through the Just In Case Oregon program.

09/23/2026

The ADPC has a major report to share.

Earlier this month, the commission published an analysis of Oregon’s state agency spending across the substance use care continuum for the 2023-2025 biennium. The report provides a clear picture of where Oregon’s substance use disorder ( ) funding in the last biennium came from, and where it went.

There’s a tremendous amount of information in this report -- it examines $1.5 billion in spending across 11 state agencies. Looking through it, you’ll find reasons for hope, as well as room for improvement.

For the ADPC blog, we’ve selected a few key charts from the report – as well as some charts that complement the report’s findings – to illuminate the challenges and opportunities ahead of us.

This month, the ADPC completed a major undertaking: The commission published an analysis of Oregon’s state agency spending across the substance use care continuum for the 2023-2025 biennium. The re…

09/18/2026

ADPC Commissioner Sharon Dursi Martin, principal of Harmony Recovery School, wrote this powerful essay reminding us that each of us has a responsibility to keep hope alive -- for ourselves, for our peers, for youth and other vulnerable members of our communities. Hope, however, requires real work and a commitment to delivering change.

"I join those who enact what is sometimes called 'hard hope.' When the darkness has become intolerable, we’ve simply chosen not to tolerate it. That’s different than not believing it’s real. That’s why people with lived experience are essential when working toward justice on behalf of individuals and communities. Hope, like recovery, is a process that aims to transform real suffering into something different." 💜 💜

Sharon Dursi Martin on making hope a shared responsibility

09/09/2026

Building community in high school – forging real friendships, finding trusted mentors – is hard enough as it is. For youth struggling with substance use disorder, it’s truly daunting.

That's why in 2023, the state legislature passed House Bill 2767 to establish recovery high schools across Oregon. Recovery high schools, such as Harmony Academy in Lake Oswego, blend recovery and academic education. They help students with substance use disorders develop individualized academic and recovery plans. They also help students find vital support from a community of peers with similar obstacles.

The ADPC is truly lucky to have Sharon Dursi Martin, the principal and executive director of Harmony Academy, as one of our commissioners. She's committed to helping young people when they need it most. Sharon gave us an inside look at life at Harmony Academy -- check out the blog post to read more.

As a tuition-free public charter school sponsored by the Lake Oswego School District, Harmony Academy provides for a full Oregon diploma. Building community in high school – forging real frien…

09/02/2026

This monthly meeting provides an opportunity for city and county officials to learn about and discuss national and state updates, as well as spending best practices. Additionally, recipients share how they are using opioid settlement funds to prevent , as well as how they're using the funds to treat and support people with substance use disorders in their communities. You can find more information on the ADPC website https://www.oregon.gov/adpc/Pages/Local-Opioid-Settlement-Learning-Collaborative.aspx

08/28/2026

We're so grateful for our friends and colleagues across Oregon that have hosted Overdose Awareness events this month, and we're excited about a bunch more happening this weekend! Thanks to the folks at Restored Connections Peer Center for sharing these pictures from the Overdose Awareness Walk in Eugene, which took place earlier this month 💜

08/24/2026

“Every conversation, every connection, and every lifesaving resource matters. This day is about honoring the past while continuing to build a future where fewer families experience the devastating loss caused by overdose.” -- Seraphina Pinsky, Tri-County Coordinator of Max’s Mission, shares what means to her.

Check out the latest ADPC blog to learn about upcoming events, and to read what other ADPC Health and Safety Interventions Committee members have to say about
https://adpcnews.wordpress.com/2026/08/21/international-overdose-awareness-day-is-august-31/