Health District and Foundation for Recovery celebrate achievement
Organizations reach milestone in collaborative, door-to-door canvassing project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 23, 2026
LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District and the Foundation for Recovery are marking a key milestone in their effort to prevent opioid overdoses in Clark County. Since July 2025, canvassers have knocked on nearly 53,000 doors to share information about overdose awareness and prevention. Nearly 12,000 doors were answered, allowing outreach workers to provide lifesaving resources directly to residents.
The canvassing project is funded by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s Bureau of Behavioral Health, Wellness and Prevention through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s State Opioid Response grant program. The partnership is data-driven, with neighborhoods selected based on areas experiencing higher rates of overdoses, helping ensure naloxone reaches communities with the greatest need.
Through the canvassing program, trained community messengers bring overdose prevention resources directly to residents’ homes in neighborhoods prioritized because of higher rates of fatal overdoses. Canvassers go door to door to talk with residents about overdose risks and provide free naloxone and fentanyl and xylazine test strips, along with brief instruction on how to use them. Residents have responded positively to the outreach and, in some cases, have requested that canvassers return for additional visits.
“Reaching well over 50,000 doors is a powerful testament to what’s possible when public health and community partners work together with a shared purpose,” said Dr. Cassius Lockett, District Health Officer for the Health District. “This milestone represents more than numbers—it reflects meaningful conversations, increased awareness and lives saved by connecting people directly with overdose prevention resources.”
Overdose surveillance data from September 2024 through August 2025 indicate a 50% increase in fentanyl deaths (from 0.8 deaths per 100,000 population to 1.2 deaths per 100,000) and an increase of almost 42% in methamphetamine-involved deaths (from 1.08 per 100,000 population to 1.53 per 100,000). These trends in overdose mortality underscore the importance of this initiative, especially since most overdose deaths occur within the home setting.
The State Opioid Response grant is awarded to each state to help prevent further opioid overdoses and provide funding to connect individuals to evidence-based treatment and recovery resources. This grant allows each state to tailor interventions to best suit their local communities. In Nevada, the State Opioid Response grant supports programs for substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services across the Silver State, including efforts to expand access to naloxone—which can reverse an opioid overdose—and the expansion of overdose prevention programs to decrease overdose deaths and reduce the transmission of infectious diseases among people who use drugs.
“Door-to-door outreach works because it’s personal,” said Sean O’Donnell, executive director of Foundation for Recovery. “When people open their doors, they’re often opening up about concerns, loss or uncertainty around substance use in their communities. This project allows us to listen first, share practical tools and connect residents with support in a way that respects dignity and builds trust.”
Overdose prevention practices don’t stop there. The Health District provides naloxone and test strips for fentanyl and xylazine without a prescription at 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. Additional distribution locations for naloxone and test strips can be found on the Substance Use Dashboard.
Naloxone should be given in response to any suspected overdose to reverse possible opioid effects, and 911 should be called for further medical evaluation. More information about overdose response is available at 6 Things to Know About Overdose Response.
People who use substances, or their loved ones, can get more information about support and resources through the Southern Nevada Post Overdose Response Team (SPORT). For information on Foundation for Recovery, go to Foundation for Recovery.org.
For more information about how the Division of Public and Behavioral Health supports substance use services in Nevada, visit Substance Use In Nevada.
The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.