iHeart Media presents $85,000 opioid outreach plan to Portage County commissioners
June 13, 2025 | Portage County, Ohio
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Representatives from iHeart Media and its opioid‑prevention partners asked the Portage County Board of Commissioners on June 5 to fund a six‑month, data‑targeted public‑education campaign to increase awareness of treatment resources and connect residents to local providers.
The presenters said the outreach plan would use streaming audio, social media, podcasts, targeted digital display ads and a school‑tour program to direct people to local services including Coleman Health Services, Townhall II and other county providers. "About 12 Ohioans are dying each day from a substance use disorder," one presenter said during the presentation, and the campaign is designed to raise awareness of naloxone distribution points and other supports.
Why it matters: County officials hold opioid settlement funds for local abatement activities. The presenters said the campaign would supplement existing work by the Portage County Mental Health & Recovery Board and increase calls to crisis lines, expand naloxone awareness and target youth through school programming.
Presenters described the plan as a six‑month, $85,000 investment that would include production and placement; they said iHeart would deliver creative assets and that county service providers would be linked directly from the advertisements.
In supporting detail, the presenters cited recent overdose surges in nearby counties and local coroner data. They said Portage County had 34 confirmed overdose deaths in the past year (presenter-supplied figure) and noted a local high of 48 overdose deaths in 2022. They also described campaign reach metrics from past work: a proposed campaign total of 4,400,000 impressions and examples where similar campaigns produced measurable increases in hotline calls and website traffic.
Commissioners did not vote on the proposal at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to review the materials and the Mental Health & Recovery Board representative's input before any allocation. "We'll look it over and reach out," a commissioner said at the close of the presentation.
Next steps: Presenters were told county staff would review the proposal, and commissioners signaled they would consider whether opioid settlement funds could be used for the campaign. The presenters left campaign samples and an MOU template for the board and asked the county to advise the presenters on any further materials needed.
The presenters said the outreach plan would use streaming audio, social media, podcasts, targeted digital display ads and a school‑tour program to direct people to local services including Coleman Health Services, Townhall II and other county providers. "About 12 Ohioans are dying each day from a substance use disorder," one presenter said during the presentation, and the campaign is designed to raise awareness of naloxone distribution points and other supports.
Why it matters: County officials hold opioid settlement funds for local abatement activities. The presenters said the campaign would supplement existing work by the Portage County Mental Health & Recovery Board and increase calls to crisis lines, expand naloxone awareness and target youth through school programming.
Presenters described the plan as a six‑month, $85,000 investment that would include production and placement; they said iHeart would deliver creative assets and that county service providers would be linked directly from the advertisements.
In supporting detail, the presenters cited recent overdose surges in nearby counties and local coroner data. They said Portage County had 34 confirmed overdose deaths in the past year (presenter-supplied figure) and noted a local high of 48 overdose deaths in 2022. They also described campaign reach metrics from past work: a proposed campaign total of 4,400,000 impressions and examples where similar campaigns produced measurable increases in hotline calls and website traffic.
Commissioners did not vote on the proposal at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to review the materials and the Mental Health & Recovery Board representative's input before any allocation. "We'll look it over and reach out," a commissioner said at the close of the presentation.
Next steps: Presenters were told county staff would review the proposal, and commissioners signaled they would consider whether opioid settlement funds could be used for the campaign. The presenters left campaign samples and an MOU template for the board and asked the county to advise the presenters on any further materials needed.
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