Orange County supervisors authorize $20,700 opioid outreach campaign using settlement funds

Orange County supervisors on Tuesday authorized the county administrator to execute a $20,700 contract with PlaceBaseMedia to run a six‑month, 23‑site public‑facing opioid prevention and recovery awareness campaign funded from the county’s opioid‑abatement settlement funds.

The request was presented by Ashley Jacobs, management analyst for Orange County, who told the board the county has secured grant funding to hire an opioid response program coordinator and that the proposed contract is the first use of the county’s local opioid abatement money in accordance with the roadmap the board adopted earlier. “As you might recall, the opioid funds come through a settlement agreement, and they are restricted to opioid abatement efforts,” Jacobs said.

The nut graf: County staff said the PlaceBaseMedia campaign is intended to raise awareness, promote prevention, and support recovery across Orange County and surrounding areas; if the county follows recommended best practices in “Exhibit E” from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, staff said the county would be eligible for additional incentive funds.

Details and board action

Jacobs said the contractor plans materials such as posters, standees, counter mats and gas‑pump toppers in locations like gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Staff described the purchase as a locally rooted awareness effort: the firm proposed placement at 23 locations for a six‑month period and estimated roughly 2,000,000 campaign “impressions.” Jacobs said the firm uses an industry formula to estimate impressions and that staff can report back with more tracking details.

Dr. Laura Mahan, the county’s new opioid response program coordinator (recently hired using grant funds), was introduced at the meeting and described as leading community outreach, a mobile overdose outreach team and a community survey on funding priorities. Jacobs said the county has prioritized destigmatization, prevention, treatment and recovery in the roadmap.

Supervisor (unnamed) moved that the board authorize the county administrator to execute the PlaceBaseMedia contract in the amount of $20,700 from the opioid fund; another board member seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.

What the money does—and what it does not

Jacobs said adoption of the campaign contract would use opioid settlement funds restricted to abatement efforts and would not reallocate general county funds. She also explained the county is pursuing the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority’s guidance (referred to in the meeting as “Exhibit E”) so Orange County could qualify for the authority’s incentive funding.

Next steps

Staff said they will move forward with contract execution and can provide more specifics about tracking and placement counts if the board wants further detail. Jacobs and Dr. Mahan also said they will continue work on a community survey and outreach events such as a second annual Save a Life Day.

Ending

Board members praised staff for the progress. The contract authorization marks the first local expenditure from Orange County’s opioid settlement funds toward a public‑facing prevention and recovery campaign; staff flagged additional follow‑up reporting on program metrics and community outreach.