Start Healing Now

09/01/2026

🎉 Our first annual I Carry Narcan Challenge has officially ended - and what an incredible first year! But while the challenge may be over, the work continues. 💜

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who carried naloxone, posted a photo, shared our message, made a donation, or encouraged someone else to get involved. Together, you helped show that carrying naloxone is a simple but powerful way to be prepared to save a life. ❤️

We’re gathering the final numbers and can’t wait to share the impact (and all the amazing photos, in case you missed them) with you soon!

Missed the challenge? You can still make a donation of $10 or more and receive an I Carry Narcan sticker in the mail while supplies last.

Most importantly, please consider carrying naloxone. The life you save could be a friend, a family member, or a stranger. It could be someone who uses drugs, an older adult who accidentally took too much opioid medication, a child who picked up a pill, a teenager experimenting for the first time, or someone who had no idea a substance contained fentanyl...

No matter how an opioid overdose happens, that person is someone’s family, someone’s friend, and someone worth saving. Carrying naloxone means you can respond without hesitation or judgment when every second matters.

💜 Carry naloxone. Be prepared. Save a life.

09/01/2026

Last night, Start Healing Now joined our Madison community at Olbrich Park to recognize International Overdose Awareness Day - a time to remember those we have lost, stand beside those who grieve, and celebrate and support those in recovery. ❤️

Thank you to Safe Communities, Bev Kelley Miller, and everyone who helped make this meaningful evening possible. We are especially grateful to all who attended, shared their stories, honored their loved ones, and reminded us that no one should face substance use, loss, or recovery alone.

Together, we remember. Together, we support recovery. Together, we work to end overdose. 💜

08/31/2026

Today, on International Overdose Awareness Day, we light a candle for Terry, for Tony, for Travis. 🕯️💜

They had smiles that lit up a room. They were loved fiercely by moms who still reach for the phone to call them, by friends who still hear their laugh in quiet moments. They were not statistics, and they were not their addiction. They were whole, deeply loved people who deserved so much more time than they were given.

If you're carrying a loss like this, we see you. You don't have to carry it alone. ❤️ Remembering is an act of love and because sharing their stories might be the reason someone else's story doesn't end the same way.

So we're asking you to do one simple thing: carry naloxone. It takes minutes to learn, fits in a pocket, and can turn the worst night of someone's life into a chance to see tomorrow.

❤️ To everyone still fighting for their own recovery: keep going, you are worth it.
❤️ To everyone grieving someone lost to this disease: their life mattered, and their memory deserves to be spoken out loud.

Remember them. Carry naloxone. Save a life.

Visit our In Memoriam page to honor Tony, Terry, Travis, and so many others we carry with us: https://starthealingnow.org/in-memoriam/

08/31/2026

See you there! 💜
Safe Communities
International Overdose Awareness Day

We’re officially just 2 weeks away from International Overdose Awareness Day! 💜

Join us at Olbrich Park on Monday, August 31, from 5–7:30 PM for an evening of connection, remembrance, and hope.

✨ 5-7 PM: Resource Fair featuring community organizations, resources, and support
🍕 Free pizza
🍧 Kona Ice
🎶 Music
🧵 Memorial quilt
💜 And so much more!
✨7-7:30 PM: A program and opportunity to share a few words about your loved ones

Looking for a moment of reflection before the event? Join us at 4 PM for a Healing Circle, generously supported by one of SACRED THREAD’s star facilitators and practitioners, Silvia Lopez.

We hope you’ll join us as we come together to remember, connect, and honor those impacted by overdose. 💜

08/31/2026

💜💜💜

Today on International Overdose Awareness Day, we stand together across the globe declaring it's time for change. We are showing up, speaking up, and saying loudly - let's end overdose! 💜

08/31/2026

Opioid overdoses have reached alarming levels, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl contributing to a significant number of deaths each year. Naloxone is a critical tool in this battle, capable of reversing the effects of an overdose in minutes. We'll explore what naloxone is, why it's essential, an...

08/31/2026

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are increasing overdose risks in communities nationwide. Addiction Policy Forum and the Justice Community Overdose Innovation Network (JCOIN) developed the free course to provide families, practitioners, law enforcement, public health officials, and first responders with accurate, evidence-based information about fentanyl facts and overdose risks.

This 30-minute course features leading researchers and practitioners in the field and also addresses common misconceptions about accidental fentanyl exposure and explains how first responders can protect themselves while responding safely and quickly.

Take the free course: www.addictionpolicy.org/post/new-apf-ecourse-launches

08/31/2026

In a large-scale effort to make fentanyl and counterfeit pill education resources available to communities, The Addiction Policy Forum today released fentanyl educational resources translated into 13 different languages. The video explainer, Facts about Fentanyl: Understanding the Risks, provides im...

08/31/2026

Today, on International Overdose Awareness Day, we remember every person lost to overdose and recognize the grief carried by families, friends, and communities. We also recommit ourselves to action.

Overdose is preventable, and access to accurate information can save lives. Addiction Policy Forum's catalogue of overdose prevention and naloxone resources includes educational videos, toolkits, research, multilingual materials, and practical guidance on recognizing an overdose, finding naloxone, and responding in an emergency.

Learn more and explore our resources: https://bit.ly/4hV7x1L

08/31/2026

Join us and the many voices around the world calling to by sharing health information and safety resources, like where to get naloxone and strips, with people who use drugs.
➡ Naloxone: dhs.wisconsin.gov/aoda/naloxone.htm
➡ Test strips: dhs.wisconsin.gov/aoda/drug-checking.htm