BetaHCF Case Studies Library is in beta. We're still adding campaigns and fixing things.
HCF Case Studies Library

← All campaigns · Open in the library

harmreductionallegheny.org

Small Changes, Big Differences

“Small Changes, Big Differences”

Allegheny County Health Department (Pittsburgh, US-PA) overdose prevention campaign built around four resident ambassadors (Carol, Adam, Nate and George) who show everyday actions, such as carrying naloxone and learning to respond to an overdose, that anyone can take whether or not they use drugs. It runs in print, digital, video, billboards and social media across rural and urban parts of the county; in August 2026 messages featuring George ran in Pittsburgh and on television.

Years
2023–now
Country
United States
Topic
DrugsHarm reductionOpioids
Asks people to
RecognizeStart
Strategy
Self efficacySimple instructionTestimonialTrusted messenger
Channel
OutdoorPrintSocial (paid)TVWebsite
Audience
AdultsGeneral public
Allegheny County residents in rural and urban areas, including people who do not use drugs; the August 2026 release stresses that Black adults aged 35-75 now have the county's highest overdose death rates.

Evidence

NoneUnknown

No campaign reach or outcome data found. The county reports overdose deaths fell for a fourth straight year (August 2026 release), with no attribution to the campaign.

Sponsor (who paid)

Credits (who made it)

Not recorded yet.

Sources

  1. Harm Reduction Allegheny (ACHD): Campaign Materials & Info sponsor
  2. Allegheny County press release: Fifth Annual International Overdose Awareness Day Resource Fair (25 Aug 2026) sponsor · 2026
  3. Allegheny County Opioid Settlement Annual Report 2024 (June 2024), initiative 'Public education campaign to reduce accidental opioid ingestions among children' sponsor · 2024
  4. Allegheny County 2024-2025 Opioid Settlement Fund Report (ACDHS) sponsor · 2025
  5. Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania Opioid Trust June 2024 meeting (Allegheny $300,000 awareness and outreach spending) news · 2024

Research notes

US-PA (Allegheny County). Discovered 2026-10-22 for #17 (local campaigns pass; method: od2a-grantee). Opened 2026-10-22: campaign page (names the four ambassadors, media types, 'whether or not they actively use drugs', contact OverdosePrevention@alleghenycounty.us, '(c) Allegheny County 2023'; no ad files or video links in the page source) and the 25 Aug 2026 release (George quotes; messages 'throughout the City of Pittsburgh' and on television). startYear 2023 is from the page copyright only. Funder and vendor not named. Is it the same as the Luceo campaign? Not established, so no Luceo credit here. The June 2024 settlement report (opened) describes a separate-looking initiative: Allegheny County with 'Luceo Creative Media Group, an advertising and creative media agency' developing print and digital media on safe storage of opioids, lock boxes for parents and caregivers, and naloxone being safe for small children, $300,000 settlement funding committed through 3/1/2024. Spotlight PA (June 2024) quotes the county on $300,000 for 'awareness and outreach' including 'campaign materials, Naloxone distribution information'; trust chair worried such spending could 'benefit just the PR firm or the advertising firm'. The 2024-2025 ACDHS settlement report (opened) no longer lists the Luceo campaign. Differences: Luceo = pediatric ingestion and caregivers, county DHS report; Small Changes = adult overdose response and naloxone, ACHD. Overlap possible (both mention naloxone, both began around 2023), so ask ACHD whether Small Changes was the product of the Luceo contract. Luceo's former site (luceoimages.com redirects to luceocmg.com) no longer resolves. Ad library search to try: 'Allegheny County Health Department', 'Small Changes Big Differences'. Reuse terms checked 2026-10-23 by an AI research pass for #47; not yet reviewed by a person.

Record cases/allegheny-county-small-changes-big-differences.json, updated 2026-10-23· Link to this campaign