The New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) is one of 33 HIDTAs under the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and is comprised of the six New England states, including Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Based on regional drug threat assessments, including the New England HIDTA Drug Threat Assessment published annually by the New England HIDTA Investigative Support Center (ISC), the New England HIDTA has formulated strategies in response to the most serious drug threats to the region. These strategies are implemented by the 21 enforcement initiatives spread throughout the six New England states. Each initiative is a cooperative effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to target drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and money laundering organizations (MLOs) that impact this region and other HIDTA regions throughout the country. Learn more at: https://www.nehidta.org/nehidta.

The Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) is a unique public health and public safety partnership between the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, or HIDTA, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.

The mission of the ORS is to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses by connecting public health and public safety agencies, sharing information and pertinent intelligence and supporting innovative and evidence-based strategies. Learn more at: https://orsprogram.org/program-overview/.

The RISKS are REAL: The Truth about Fentanyl & Fake Pills is presented by Walmart in partnership with:

demandZERO is a Connecticut-based nonprofit founded by the Deane family in memory of their son Joe, who died of a fentanyl overdose, with a mission to confront the opioid crisis by disrupting the illegal trade of deadly narcotics and pushing for stronger enforcement, awareness, and policy change. They work collaboratively with law enforcement, community stakeholders, and legislators to halt the flow of illicit drugs into New England communities (especially in New Haven County and along the shoreline), reduce overdose deaths, and build local capacity to demand zero tolerance for lethal narcotics.

The Rendon Group (TRG) is a full-service strategic communications firm with offices in Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Specializing in special event management, public relations, coalition building, video and electronic production, and general communications consulting, TRG brings over 40 years of experience in developing and implementing complex, multi-layered campaigns and events that move seamlessly from concept to completion.

Since 2017, TRG has worked with leading federal, state, and local partners to advance education and awareness efforts addressing the opioid epidemic, including the growing threat of illicit fentanyl. For more than eight years, TRG has produced the National Summit on Opioid Awareness Campaign, a nationwide initiative focused on educating young people about the dangers of opioid misuse and fentanyl poisoning.

Through large-scale youth summits, regional television specials, esports tournaments, and virtual school assemblies, TRG’s mission is to save lives by raising awareness and empowering students to make informed, healthy choices. Learn more and view past campaigns at DrugFreeisUpToMe.org.

For over eight years, the National Summit on Opioid Awareness Campaign, produced by The Rendon Group in partnership with leading agencies and organizations, has worked to educate the American people, especially youth, on the dangers of opioid misuse and fentanyl poisoning. Through large-scale in-person youth summits, regional television specials, esports campaigns, and real-time virtual school assemblies, the organization’s mission is to save lives by raising awareness and inspiring young people to make informed choices. View past summit info at DrugFreeisUpToMe.org

What We’ve Done:

Youth Summits at Scale: Organized eight large-scale in-person arena summits nationwide, reaching over 50,000 students with prevention messaging.
Television Impact: Produced nearly 40 regional television specials in partnership with local affiliates, reaching more than 24 million viewers in communities across the country.
Virtual School Assemblies: Conducted live online assemblies reaching 15,000 students in New Hampshire, 8,000 in Hartford, CT, and 5,000 in Washington, DC, making life-saving information accessible in real time.
Esports Campaigns: Launched the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill / Game Over esports initiative, including tournaments in New Orleans, Pennsylvania, and New England, collectively reaching  over 80,000 viewers with fentanyl poisoning prevention messaging.
National Digital Special: Produced the 2024–2025 special, Awareness, Action & Hope: Navigating the Opioid/Fentanyl Crisis, a 45-minute program highlighting the most compelling stories from their campaigns, now being distributed nationwide.

OUR PARTNERS