Placer County’s 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign announces critical collaboration with Song for Charlie to distribute new fentanyl resource portal throughout Placer County 
Take the pledge. Use the resource portal. Save live

Published Sept. 14, 2023

Today, the 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign announced a critical collaboration with Song for Charlie, the national family-run nonprofit charity dedicated to raising awareness about fake pills made from fentanyl, to distribute a new educational resource portal throughout Placer County. 

This resource portal, The New Drug Talk: Connect to Protect is a first-of-its-kind educational web platform designed to empower schools, students, parents, community leaders and residents with the tools they need to have the tough conversations about the dangers of illicit fentanyl. This portal was made possible through a new partnership between Song for Charlie and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). 

“The goal of our 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign was to reach as many parents and students throughout the county to educate them about the dangers of fentanyl. We accomplished that goal,” said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. “Now the next step is to empower our community members to continue these conversations in the classroom, the home, and in the community, while providing updated resources for those conversations. The Song for Charlie resource portal will provide the resources needed to continue these important discussions.” 

“There is a clear and pressing need to provide an easy way for parents to understand the drug scene their kids are facing and to get the tools they need to connect with them on a topic that can be challenging,” said Song for Charlie President Ed Ternan. “We are giving parents and caregivers the confidence they need to have an informed discussion with their kids. In the current environment, it can be a matter of life and death.” 

The 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign is a multi-agency effort bringing county, law enforcement, education and community partners to collectively combat the fentanyl crisis. The campaign ranges through various phases including education, enforcement and empowerment. This collaboration with Song for Charlie is the final step into the empowerment phase. 

Song for Charlie is a national family-run nonprofit charity dedicated to raising awareness about ‘fentapills’ — fake pills made of fentanyl. After the sudden loss of their son Charlie, Ed and Mary Ternan created Song for Charlie with one goal: to bring awareness to counterfeit prescription pills being sold online targeting young people. They have since brought on a team including Placer County’s Laura Didier, surviving mom to Zach Didier to help expand the message of the dangers of fentanyl across the country. 

To formally launch this collaboration, the 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign is asking community members to take the Fighting Fentanyl Pledge to commit to using this new resource portal in their homes, schools and communities. By signing on to the pledge, participants will also be committing to continue the conversations with Placer County’s youth on the dangers of fentanyl. 

Residents can take the pledge, access the portal and learn more about the collaboration. This partnership is another reminder that Placer County is united around fighting the fentanyl epidemic at every level.