In May of this year, the United States received some hopeful news. For the first time since 2018, annual overdose deaths decreased, as did overdose deaths involving opioids.
Now, the decrease was small. And any death toll over zero is too large. But bucking this trend is progress — a testament to the work of countless individuals and organizations across the country fighting the opioid epidemic.
One such organization is a client of ours. We’d like to tell you about them.
Change the Outcome is a Minnesota non-profit educating students about the opioid epidemic. It was founded in 2017 by Colleen Ronnei, a year after her son Luke died of an accidental overdose. Luke's story is a familiar one. He was prescribed opioids after getting his wisdom teeth removed. When he developed dry sockets, doctors extended his prescription. That was the start of a three-year struggle with substance use disorder.
Luke's death set Colleen on a mission to save lives — “to change the outcome”. She and her team travel Minnesota visiting schools and communities, speaking with young people about the disease of addiction and the realities of opioids.
In May of this year, the United States received some hopeful news. For the first time since 2018, annual overdose deaths decreased, as did overdose deaths involving opioids.
Now, the decrease was small. And any death toll over zero is too large. But bucking this trend is progress — a testament to the work of countless individuals and organizations across the country fighting the opioid epidemic.
One such organization is a client of ours. We’d like to tell you about them.
Change the Outcome is a Minnesota non-profit educating students about the opioid epidemic. It was founded in 2017 by Colleen Ronnei, a year after her son Luke died of an accidental overdose. Luke's story is a familiar one. He was prescribed opioids after getting his wisdom teeth removed. When he developed dry sockets, doctors extended his prescription. That was the start of a three-year struggle with substance use disorder.
Luke's death set Colleen on a mission to save lives — “to change the outcome”. She and her team travel Minnesota visiting schools and communities, speaking with young people about the disease of addiction and the realities of opioids.
In May of this year, the United States received some hopeful news. For the first time since 2018, annual overdose deaths decreased, as did overdose deaths involving opioids.
Now, the decrease was small. And any death toll over zero is too large. But bucking this trend is progress — a testament to the work of countless individuals and organizations across the country fighting the opioid epidemic.
One such organization is a client of ours. We’d like to tell you about them.
Change the Outcome is a Minnesota non-profit educating students about the opioid epidemic. It was founded in 2017 by Colleen Ronnei, a year after her son Luke died of an accidental overdose. Luke's story is a familiar one. He was prescribed opioids after getting his wisdom teeth removed. When he developed dry sockets, doctors extended his prescription. That was the start of a three-year struggle with substance use disorder.
Luke's death set Colleen on a mission to save lives — “to change the outcome”. She and her team travel Minnesota visiting schools and communities, speaking with young people about the disease of addiction and the realities of opioids.
It's a simple approach, but disruptive in its own way. This kind of grassroots pragmatism is a far cry from the failed campaigns of the 80s and 90s — the likes of "Just Say No" and "This is Your Brain on Drugs." Where those campaigns reinforced stereotypes and pontificated, Change the Outcome leverages empathy, honesty and understanding. They equip you with practical knowledge that can save lives.
Their education programs include a documentary screening as well as panel discussions with adults, loved ones affected by addiction, and crucially, young people in recovery. They are candid, professional and articulate. In the schools they visit teens see them as peers, not authority figures. After the program, Change the Outcome provides resources to attendees — pamphlets, stickers, Narcan (Naloxone) — and posters for the schools to place in their hallways. That’s where Shinebox lent a hand.
It's a simple approach, but disruptive in its own way. This kind of grassroots pragmatism is a far cry from the failed campaigns of the 80s and 90s — the likes of "Just Say No" and "This is Your Brain on Drugs." Where those campaigns reinforced stereotypes and pontificated, Change the Outcome leverages empathy, honesty and understanding. They equip you with practical knowledge that can save lives.
Their education programs include a documentary screening as well as panel discussions with adults, loved ones affected by addiction, and crucially, young people in recovery. They are candid, professional and articulate. In the schools they visit teens see them as peers, not authority figures. After the program, Change the Outcome provides resources to attendees — pamphlets, stickers, Narcan (Naloxone) — and posters for the schools to place in their hallways. That’s where Shinebox lent a hand.
It's a simple approach, but disruptive in its own way. This kind of grassroots pragmatism is a far cry from the failed campaigns of the 80s and 90s — the likes of "Just Say No" and "This is Your Brain on Drugs." Where those campaigns reinforced stereotypes and pontificated, Change the Outcome leverages empathy, honesty and understanding. They equip you with practical knowledge that can save lives.
Their education programs include a documentary screening as well as panel discussions with adults, loved ones affected by addiction, and crucially, young people in recovery. They are candid, professional and articulate. In the schools they visit teens see them as peers, not authority figures. After the program, Change the Outcome provides resources to attendees — pamphlets, stickers, Narcan (Naloxone) — and posters for the schools to place in their hallways. That’s where Shinebox lent a hand.
The education Change the Outcome provides has never been more important, because we are living through the opioid epidemic's deadliest phase yet. Cheap, synthetic opioids — fentanyl and its analogs — have flooded our cities. Some are 50 times stronger than heroin. And it's not just affecting opioid users or those suffering from addiction. More and more, fentanyl is found in counterfeit study pills, diet pills, party pills and other drugs. No one is immune. Overdose deaths may have declined in 2023, but the risk of overdose is higher than ever; 7 out of 10 pills bought online or on the street contain enough fentanyl to kill. 7 out of 10.
The education Change the Outcome provides has never been more important, because we are living through the opioid epidemic's deadliest phase yet. Cheap, synthetic opioids — fentanyl and its analogs — have flooded our cities. Some are 50 times stronger than heroin. And it's not just affecting opioid users or those suffering from addiction. More and more, fentanyl is found in counterfeit study pills, diet pills, party pills and other drugs. No one is immune. Overdose deaths may have declined in 2023, but the risk of overdose is higher than ever; 7 out of 10 pills bought online or on the street contain enough fentanyl to kill. 7 out of 10.
The education Change the Outcome provides has never been more important, because we are living through the opioid epidemic's deadliest phase yet. Cheap, synthetic opioids — fentanyl and its analogs — have flooded our cities. Some are 50 times stronger than heroin. And it's not just affecting opioid users or those suffering from addiction. More and more, fentanyl is found in counterfeit study pills, diet pills, party pills and other drugs. No one is immune. Overdose deaths may have declined in 2023, but the risk of overdose is higher than ever; 7 out of 10 pills bought online or on the street contain enough fentanyl to kill. 7 out of 10.
“
7 out of 10 pills bought online or on the street contain enough fentanyl to kill.
“
7 out of 10 pills bought online or on the street contain enough fentanyl to kill.
“
7 out of 10 pills bought online or on the street contain enough fentanyl to kill.
Change the Outcome and their partners track these trends on a national and local level. They can tell you about them. They can also teach you about substance use disorder predisposition and the opioid epidemic’s collision course with our national mental health crisis. Then there’s the practical stuff: recognizing an overdose, getting and using Narcan and how to support someone struggling with addiction.
These are topics many run from or leave too late to broach — topics often clouded by stigma and shame. But thanks to organizations like Change the Outcome, the status quo is shifting. The opioid epidemic, addiction and substance use disorder are finally being addressed with the honesty, rigor and compassion that they deserve. Long may it continue.
To date, Change the Outcome has spoken with more than 90,000 students, educators and parents across Minnesota. And with the 2024-2025 school year underway, that number is rising. If you’re someone who wants to learn more about the opioid epidemic or how you can help fight it, check them out. Ask if they'd speak at your schools, with your kids, with your community groups, with you. Because the more people talk about this epidemic, the more we learn about its realities, the more the death toll decreases.
Here’s to more hopeful news this year.
www.changetheoutcome.org
Change the Outcome and their partners track these trends on a national and local level. They can tell you about them. They can also teach you about substance use disorder predisposition and the opioid epidemic’s collision course with our national mental health crisis. Then there’s the practical stuff: recognizing an overdose, getting and using Narcan and how to support someone struggling with addiction.
These are topics many run from or leave too late to broach — topics often clouded by stigma and shame. But thanks to organizations like Change the Outcome, the status quo is shifting. The opioid epidemic, addiction and substance use disorder are finally being addressed with the honesty, rigor and compassion that they deserve. Long may it continue.
To date, Change the Outcome has spoken with more than 90,000 students, educators and parents across Minnesota. And with the 2024-2025 school year underway, that number is rising. If you’re someone who wants to learn more about the opioid epidemic or how you can help fight it, check them out. Ask if they'd speak at your schools, with your kids, with your community groups, with you. Because the more people talk about this epidemic, the more we learn about its realities, the more the death toll decreases.
Here’s to more hopeful news this year.
www.changetheoutcome.org
Change the Outcome and their partners track these trends on a national and local level. They can tell you about them. They can also teach you about substance use disorder predisposition and the opioid epidemic’s collision course with our national mental health crisis. Then there’s the practical stuff: recognizing an overdose, getting and using Narcan and how to support someone struggling with addiction.
These are topics many run from or leave too late to broach — topics often clouded by stigma and shame. But thanks to organizations like Change the Outcome, the status quo is shifting. The opioid epidemic, addiction and substance use disorder are finally being addressed with the honesty, rigor and compassion that they deserve. Long may it continue.
To date, Change the Outcome has spoken with more than 90,000 students, educators and parents across Minnesota. And with the 2024-2025 school year underway, that number is rising. If you’re someone who wants to learn more about the opioid epidemic or how you can help fight it, check them out. Ask if they'd speak at your schools, with your kids, with your community groups, with you. Because the more people talk about this epidemic, the more we learn about its realities, the more the death toll decreases.
Here’s to more hopeful news this year.
www.changetheoutcome.org
Connect with us
Connect with us
Disrupting for good.
Helping brands disrupt the status quo — for the better health of individuals, communities and our environment.
Disrupting for good.
Helping brands disrupt the status quo — for the better health of individuals, communities and our environment.
Disrupting for good.
Helping brands disrupt the status quo — for the better health of individuals, communities and our environment.