The APT Foundation, a New Haven-based organization providing evidence-based care for substance use disorders, is urging policymakers and public health leaders to invest opioid settlement funding in public education and outreach efforts that help individuals and families understand opioid use disorder (OUD) and navigate available treatment options.

The call draws on APT Foundation's own experience running a public awareness campaign in Greater New Haven from June through September 2025. Partnering with Red Rock Branding, the organization launched "Let's Break Barriers to Treatment, Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Works," a multi-channel campaign addressing stigma and misinformation around OUD as a treatable health condition. During the campaign period, active website users increased 44%, Instagram reach grew 406%, and TikTok content generated more than 600,000 views. A post-campaign survey showed improved recognition of overdose severity and increased understanding of addiction as a public health issue. The campaign won multiple 2025 creative awards including two Gold Viddy Awards and a Gold Davey Award.

The urgency is significant. A 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that 4.8 million people ages 12 and older are living with OUD in the United States. Fewer than one in five received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), considered the gold standard for treatment. Methadone, the most widely studied form of MOUD, remains highly stigmatized despite being safe, affordable, and effective, creating barriers to engagement in care.

"Communications alone will not solve the opioid crisis," said Dr. Lynn Madden, President and CEO of the APT Foundation. "But when paired with treatment, prevention, recovery, and harm reduction services, they can help communities maximize the impact of these investments and ensure more people know where to turn for help."

"Public education and outreach can help people recognize risk, understand their options, and take the next step toward care," said Glen McDermott, Founder of Red Rock Branding. "However, consistent messaging is essential."

APT Foundation serves more than 7,000 individuals annually across six clinical sites in New Haven County, offering same-day walk-in evaluations six days a week regardless of ability to pay. Under current leadership, the organization has reduced treatment wait times from an average of three weeks to three hours. APT and Red Rock Branding are offering a public webinar for municipal leaders and nonprofit organizations on directing opioid settlement funds, with the next session scheduled for September 16 during national Recovery Month.

The timing of APT Foundation's push is particularly relevant in Connecticut. The state has secured $600 million through prior opioid settlements, and Connecticut's Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee (OSAC) has passed 19 funding recommendations totaling just over $110 million, directed toward harm reduction, prevention, mobile opioid treatment vans, a naloxone saturation plan, and a $58 million Housing as Recovery initiative. Reducing community stigma against OUD and its treatments is among OSAC's explicitly stated funding priorities, directly aligning with the public education model APT Foundation's campaign demonstrates. Connecticut saw a 26% decline in overdose deaths in 2024, a sign that early investments are beginning to make a difference, though the state continues to lose lives to opioids daily, reinforcing APT Foundation's argument that treatment access and public awareness must advance together.