Bringing Overdose Prevention to Rural Communities

Rhode Island's overdose crisis has touched every city and town, yet many prevention efforts have historically been concentrated in urban areas.

To expand access in underserved rural communities, the Rhode Island Department of Health launched the Rural Naloxone Access Campaign, focused on increasing access to free naloxone, overdose-prevention training, and recovery resources for residents at heightened risk of overdose.

A data-driven media strategy combined bilingual paid social, streaming audio and video, local newspapers, gas pump advertising, hyper-local community placements, and geo-targeted text message outreach across 13 priority communities, making overdose prevention resources easier to find and easier to act on.

The messaging also reframed how naloxone was perceived. Rather than presenting it as something only people who use drugs should carry, the campaign encouraged residents to "upgrade your first aid kit", positioning naloxone as a practical tool anyone could have on hand in an emergency. The geo-targeted text linked directly to the naloxone order form, removing barriers between awareness and action.

The campaign translated awareness into measurable public health action. During the campaign (April - June 2026), 2,821 naloxone kits were requested, with more than 900 placed following the geo-targeted text message. That's a more than 700% year-over-year increase over the same period in 2025 (324 orders), the highest volume the program has ever seen.

Overall, 68% of people requesting naloxone were receiving their first-ever kit, demonstrating that the campaign successfully expanded access to lifesaving resources beyond those already engaged with harm reduction services. The SMS campaign achieved a 5.4% click-through rate, making it the highest-performing overdose prevention text campaign ever deployed by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

By combining a community-based media strategy with a simple shift in language, the campaign moved beyond awareness to normalize naloxone, reduce barriers to access, and connect thousands of rural Rhode Islanders with lifesaving resources.