PORTLAND, Ore. — A free, online resource center aimed at educating parents and families about fentanyl is now available in Oregon.
The "New Drug Talk" was first launched in California last fall by the nonprofit Song for Charlie. Now, thanks to a $1 million investment from Trillium Community Health Plan, the resource will be available in Oregon.
"We are bringing this conversation to people's kitchen tables, to their living rooms, into the family setting," said Jennifer Epstein, Song for Charlie's Director of Strategic Programs.
Epstein is a longtime Oregon resident, committed to making fentanyl education more accessible. The New Drug Talk provides mock conversations, video explanations and links to local mental health and substance use support.
"Most parents don't have a good understanding of the illicit drug market and how youth are impacted today," she said.
Epstein first learned about the dangers of fentanyl through the death of her 18-year-old son Cal. Epstein and her husband found Cal unresponsive in his room in 2020. The teenager thought he was taking an oxycodone pill.
"I looked around in the room and saw a small bag with a few pills in it, and the detective on site that morning immediately told us he suspected they were fake and there's a good chance they had fentanyl," she explained.
Fentanyl is often found in counterfeit drugs, and users have no idea it's there.
"They could be asking for a Xanax, an Oxy, a Percocet, an Adderall, or they could be thinking that they are trying another drug, but in fact, they're getting fentanyl, which is much more powerful," Epstein said.
It's an important conversation aimed at parents who might not know how and when to address the dangers with their children.
Epstein said based on studies her team conducted in Oregon, they found 73% of parents talk to their children about the dangers of prescription pills, but only 45% of teens remember having that conversation.
"Even if parents are talking about it, that message doesn't always get through," Epstein added.
These types of resources, like the New Drug Talk, are crucial for parents, said Jenny Cary, a mental and behavioral health coordinator for Hillsboro School District.
"I think bridging with families is the most important prevention work that we can do around mental health substance use," Cary said.
She added that often, when staff members talk to students about overdoses and drugs, those conversations center on other students who've lost their lives.
"Unfortunately, some neighboring districts have experienced student loss associated with overdose deaths, and so naturally, it becomes something that has to be a part of our work and our programming," Cary said. "We have to start working on making sure that doesn’t happen to students in our community."
She added one of the first ways to combat substance abuse is through mental health support.
"Stress and mental health needs are really foundational to people looking for substances for coping," Cary explained. "If we can talk about stress and the needs related to resolving stress in our systems, we see a lot less people reaching for substances as a result of having better coping."
Epstein saw firsthand how both mental health and substance use are interconnected. At the time of Cal's death, he was dealing with anxiety. It's this personal understanding that drives Epstein's advocacy.
"I would prefer to remember him the way he lived because he was really a great kid, and I truly thought he was on a great path and would achieve great things," Epstein said. "But at the same time, I know that by sharing this information, I am changing lives, and if I can prevent another family from having to experience the same loss as ours, then I want to do that."
The New Drug Talk officially launches in Oregon on National Fentanyl Awareness Day, May 7.