Bernalillo County launches fentanyl awareness campaign

BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. – Illicit fentanyl is powerful and plentiful. In Bernalillo County, it’s ripping families apart.

Now, Bernalillo County is investing in education, prevention, and intervention through a campaign called “Keep NM Alive.”

“It is in our schools, it’s in our neighborhoods,” said District 3 Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa.

Personal stories are the motivation behind a big campaign called Keep NM Alive:

“Picking up my son, my future in a wooden box is something I wish upon no one.”

Regardless of background, education or income level, the pain of losing a loved one hurts the same.

“It starts with a conversation. We have to end that shame and stigma, we can think any longer that it’s not going to happen to me, not my kid, not my spouse,” said Barboa. 

Barboa says it’s the county’s responsibility to invest in education, resources, and overdose prevention. Soon, taking advantage of more than $50 million in opioid settlement funds.

“I believe with this amount of money that it comes at the cost of many lives. We can say ‘Hey, here’s the infrastructure we need and here’s the time to build it out, let’s do it together,'” Barboa said. 

In the meantime, there’s a website dedicated to awareness and prevention. 

“There’s information on where to get medication assisted treatment, what is medication assisted treatment, harm reduction, where to get narcan,” said Lisa Sedillo-White, a Bernalillo County deputy manager.  

People can learn from the experts, listen to the families, and be prepared for the worst.

“There is a lack of resources, there is a lack of treatment. We have to make our community healthy again,” said Sedillo-White. 

The county is also putting together several workshops and classes for the community in October. 

KOB 4 will get you more information when the schedule is ironed out.

For more information on Keep NM Alive, click here.