To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): District Attorney
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jill Ravitch 565-3098
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
District Attorney Opioid Awareness Campaign
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the District Attorney to execute a purchase contract for $69,170 with Outfront Media for the purchase of billboard and digital media advertising to increase awareness of the of the opioid crisis in Sonoma County and to approve any modifications, amendments, or extensions. The term of the agreement is expected to begin October 2022 and be completed by 12/31/2022.
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Executive Summary:
Opioid overdoses in Sonoma County have increased exponentially over the past five years, many resulting from illicit use of the drug Fentanyl. The District Attorney has received grant funds to address this crisis and will utilize some of those funds to launch a billboard and social media advertising campaign to increase awareness and publicize options for help. The social media campaign will utilize geofencing to target ads in areas where opioid incidents have occurred. The department is actively engaged with partners, including Department of Health Services and Sonoma County law enforcement agencies, in outreach efforts.
Approval from the Board of Supervisors to enter into the agreement is required because the vendor is seeking indemnification from the County. Only the Board can agree to indemnify an outside party.
Discussion:
Opioid-related overdoses present a growing challenge in Sonoma County, particularly those related to the drug Fentanyl. In 2021, there were 122 opioid-related deaths in Sonoma County, up from 111 in 2020 and more than triple the number in 2017.
In 2021, the District Attorney’s Office was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to fund the Innovative Prosecution Solutions Program. This program, in partnership with local law enforcement, focuses on the prosecution of opioid-related cases in Sonoma County, providing funding for prosecution, investigation, and tracking of opioid-related cases. One of the goals of the program is to engage in a public service campaign informing the public about the risk of opioids and the dangers of ingesting unknown substances that may contain Fentanyl.
The outreach campaign will provide information regarding the dangers of opioid use, options for treatment, suggestions on how to talk to children and young adults about opioid use, and will utilize existing confidential tip lines to report drug activity to law enforcement and improve prosecutorial outcomes. The billboard advertising purchased under this contract will be placed within a one-or two-mile radius of all Sonoma County high schools, Santa Rosa Junior College, Sonoma State University, and other campuses of higher learning.
The project utilizes overdose mapping software provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, a federal program that provides assistance to law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This software tracks the instances and locations of opioid-related events identifying areas of significant drug activity, and geofencing will be utilized to target digital media ads in areas where drug activity occurs. The digital media ads will include links for treatment, informational materials on how to prevent drug use among teens and young adults, and videos on the District Attorney’s website and Facebook pages.
This investment in an informational campaign will increase awareness for all Sonoma County residents that opioid use is prevalent in our neighborhoods and the risk to children and young adults is significant. Recent cases where exposure to Fentanyl resulted in the death of young children in our community illustrates the consequences of illicit drug use. By informing the public of the dangers of these substances, we strive to prevent more death in our community due to the use of opioids.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
The Board approved District Attorney participation in the Innovative Prosecution Solutions Program on April 6, 2021.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$69,170 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$69,170 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
$69,170 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$69,170 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Innovative Prosecutions Solutions grant funds will be used to pay for these billboard and digital media advertisements. The funding source and associated appropriations are included in the FY 22/23 adopted budget
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Staffing Impacts: N/A |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
No staffing impacts.
Attachments:
Outfront Media Advertiser Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A