LA County is trying to change how people understand the overdose crisis by putting the voices of affected communities at the center. The new effort, Rewriting LA County’s Story, was developed with people who have lived through overdose and the systems around it. It builds on strong research and a simple idea, that when judgment is replaced with understanding, people have a real chance at recovery, stability and connection. This campaign is part of the broader By LA For LA initiative, which works with local partners to expand health and social services across the county.

The numbers behind this shift are significant. Overdose deaths in LA County fell 22 percent in 2024, the sharpest single year drop ever recorded. Vital Strategies and local partners credit this to a combination of strategic communication, strong community programs and a major expansion of harm reduction services. Through community health hubs, naloxone distribution, drug checking, wound care and direct links to housing, job support and treatment, the county is reaching people where they are. These efforts have reversed more than 35,000 overdoses since 2019 and have increased access to naloxone tenfold.

The work is far from finished, but the direction is clear. LA County is trying to replace stigma with facts, barriers with services and isolation with support. By bringing together science, public health agencies and communities most affected, the county is building a model that shows how change happens at street level. The message running through the entire campaign is that people belong, people matter and people can overcome when they have access to care that meets their real needs.

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