{"id":131634,"date":"2026-07-16T07:52:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T11:52:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=131634"},"modified":"2026-07-16T19:47:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T23:47:08","slug":"city-of-fort-wayne-launches-two-new-psas-urging-families-to-talk-about-substance-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2026\/07\/16\/city-of-fort-wayne-launches-two-new-psas-urging-families-to-talk-about-substance-use\/","title":{"rendered":"City of Fort Wayne launches two new PSAs urging families to talk about substance use"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The City of Fort Wayne will debut two new public service announcements on July 20, 2026, part of an ongoing community awareness campaign funded through the National Opioid Settlement.<\/p>\n

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City of Fort Wayne Indiana news release:<\/p>\n

City of Fort Wayne launches two new PSAs urging families to talk about substance use<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fort Wayne, Indiana (July 16, 2026) \u2014 The City of Fort Wayne will debut two new public service announcements on Monday, July 20, part of an ongoing community awareness campaign funded through the National Opioid Settlement. The PSAs \u2014 \u201cBefore It\u2019s Too Late\u201d and \u201cKeep Talking. It Sticks.\u201d \u2014 ask parents and caregivers across northeast Indiana to start conversations with their kids about drug use before it\u2019s ever offered to them, and to recognize that overdose can affect any family, regardless of background.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore It\u2019s Too Late\u201d<\/p>\n

This spot confronts a common misconception head-on: that overdose only happens to \u201csomeone else\u2019s kid.\u201d The PSA follows a family through the ordinary moments many will recognize\u2014the straight-A student, the athlete, the kid with attentive parents, to make the point that opioids do not discriminate based on who a person is or what their life looks like. It closes with the campaign\u2019s central call to action: talk, ask, and pay attention before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n

Produced by Blacklight Media<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep Talking. It Sticks.\u201d<\/p>\n

This animated PSA speaks directly to the discomfort many parents feel about broaching the subject at all. Framed from a teen\u2019s point of view, it walks through everyday moments, at the lunch table, at a party, on the couch with friends, where a parent\u2019s earlier words resurface. The message: research shows kids who talk with a parent about drugs before they\u2019re ever offered them are half as likely to use. Parents don\u2019t need a script or a single big conversation, just the willingness to keep showing up and keep talking.<\/p>\n

Produced by Punch Films<\/p>\n

“Every family in Fort Wayne deserves to feel equipped to have hard conversations before tragedy strikes. These PSAs aren’t just messages \u2014 they’re an invitation to talk, to listen, and to show up for each other. No family is immune to this crisis, and no family should face it alone.” said Mayor Sharon Tucker<\/p>\n

Both PSAs will air on broadcast television, streaming and digital media beginning Monday, July 20. They\u2019re part of a broader resource hub, \u201cTalk. Ask. Pay Attention,\u201d available now at cityoffortwayne.in.gov\/keeptalking<\/a>, which connects families to free, trusted support organizations, including:<\/p>\n