In a continued effort to promote wellness on Mercer Island, the city’s Youth and Family Services (YFS) Department’s Healthy Youth Initiative has partnered with King County on a new fentanyl overdose prevention campaign to target youth and young adults in the region.

YFS continues its lengthy union with King County on its latest county-wide Laced & Lethal campaign, which it launched in March through primary funding from the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD).

“We don’t see a lot of pill and powder use in our young people population on Mercer Island, but because of the potential for tragedy, we felt it was really important that we make sure that our community have this information,” said Tambi Cork, YFS administrator.

In addition to informing people about the risk of buying pills and powders potentially laced with fentanyl, the research-based campaign focuses on the life-saving benefits of having access to naloxone to reverse overdose, according to Kelli Nomura, director of the BHRD.

Regarding the circumstances in King County as a whole, Nomura noted in a press release that the dangers of fentanyl-laced substances need to be addressed as they are being sold in the county, with tragic results. According to a city press release, recent county-wide data between 2018-2020 saw a 167 percent increase in the number of fentanyl-involved deaths, including 18 King County youth fatal overdoses last year.

YFS contributed some of its Healthy Youth Initiative grant funding toward the Laced & Lethal social media advertising so that locals will be apprised of the campaign. Accessibility to naloxone is of paramount importance, said Cork, adding that it is available for free at pharmacies and can be requested online and delivered through the mail in plain confidential packaging.

Through the campaign, people can also learn about how they can help others who might be in a dangerous situation.

“It’s important that if they’re ever in a space where someone is (using) that they have awareness of what to do: calling 911, knowing about the Good Samaritan law. If someone calls 911 to help a person who’s in distress, that person is not going to get in trouble with the law,” Cork said.

Nomura said she and her colleagues are grateful to continue teaming up with the Mercer Island YFS and Healthy Youth Initiative for crucial causes.

“Their investment and support during the development of the campaign made it possible to expand and enhance our materials and our outreach, helping youth on Mercer Island and across King County stay safe and alive,” Nomura added.

Cork said that everyone involved with the Healthy Youth Initiative, in addition to providers of intervention and treatment services, is pleased to be a part of the campaign.

“It’s nice to be able to work in an area where we have potential to positively impact lives,” Cork said.

For more information about the campaign, which was developed in partnership with Rescue / The Behavior Change Agency, visit www.LacedAndLethal.com.