Department of
Health & Human Services

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) is launching a youth opioid awareness campaign. The campaign, led by the Health Department’s Harm Reduction Program and in partnership with the Youth Leadership Institute (yli), will run through October 2025 and provide young people an opportunity to develop skills through youth-led storytelling in multimedia workshops that will encourage youth engagement, raise awareness about the opioid epidemic, and increase access to educational materials about opioid overdose prevention techniques.

"Engaging and uplifting youth is our City's priority," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "This opioid awareness campaign will protect our young residents by providing them with vital education and prevention techniques, as well as a platform for their voices to be heard. By engaging youth in this meaningful work, we are fostering a sense of community and building a generation of informed leaders who are equipped to tackle the challenges ahead."

Youth ages 14 to 18 who are in high school and interested in participating in the Youth Opioid Awareness Campaign are encouraged to apply, especially those from communities of color and impacted by the opioid crisis. The Health Department and yli will engage a diverse group of young people from Long Beach to participate in after-school workshops now through June 2025 to create youth-led media, including social media messaging and storytelling zines. A zine is a print or digital self-published work, created individually or collaboratively, that focuses on a specific theme or subject. When shared, zines can educate, spark conversations and inspire change. The zines created through this campaign will explore the opioid epidemic, its harmful effects and ways to foster early intervention and support.

Beginning in July 2025, this campaign will expand to include young adults ages 18 to 24. More information, including how to apply, will be made available in the coming weeks.

Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their zines in local community spaces, businesses and libraries. Additionally, these zines will be featured on the City’s and yli’s websites, social media channels, newsletters and other platforms.

“Raising awareness about the opioid epidemic among young people is a critical part of our prevention efforts,” says Dr. Anissa Davis, City Health Officer. “This campaign allows us to engage youth where they are by utilizing creative and culturally relevant approaches to deliver education and awareness in an engaging and interactive way.”

Application instructions and eligibility requirements are available through the Youth Leadership Institute’s website. To participate, eligible youth are required to apply by 7 p.m. on March 21, 2025. Participants will be contacted about their application by yli and the Health Department’s selection committee. Prospective participants may email comar@yli.org with any questions.

The campaign is made possible by the California Opioid Settlements, a fund that was established to provide funds to cities and counties for the abatement of the opioid crisis in California. Additional information on the California Opioid Settlements is available at oag.ca.gov/opioids.

For more information about the Health Department’s Harm Reduction Program and to stay updated, visit longbeach.gov/harmreduction.

About the City of Long Beach 
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Long Beach Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on Instagram, Facebook and X.