Orange County Epidemic Intelligence Council - EPIC

05/20/2026

The May Issue of the Orange County Insight is now available! Check it out at https://ow.ly/4uNJ50Z1O7c.

04/29/2026

Today is National Fentanyl Awareness Day.
📍 Free Naloxone, education, and test strips (for fentanyl, xylazine, and medetomidine) are available right here in Orange County. These resources can help save lives and empower individuals, families, and community members to respond in an emergency.

If you'd like to learn more or get a kit contact:
Laura Mahan
Opioid Response Program Coordinator
📧 [email protected]

04/23/2026

EpIC is kicking off festival season in the best way, right here in our community!🌿

We had an amazing time at the Living Waters Free Community Clinic Resource Fair and the Town of Gordonsville’s first annual Bloom Festival. Both events were filled with meaningful conversations, genuine connections, and a shared sense of purpose.

We’re grateful for every chance to share resources, meet people where they are, and represent the Orange County Opioid Response Program out in the community. This is where the work truly happens—in small moments, honest conversations, and showing up again and again.

We are already looking forward to the next festival!

04/01/2026

Dr. Laura Mahan, Orange County's Opioid Response Program Coordinator, recently attended a meeting at Gordonsville’s Town Hall with a coalition of families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl. These conversations are challenging but essential, offering a powerful reminder that the opioid crisis is not abstract. It is deeply personal, and its effects continue to impact communities in profound ways.

The coalition is working to raise awareness about the widespread presence of fentanyl while also advocating for stronger accountability and meaningful policy change. Dr. Mahan expressed gratitude for being part of a community that continues to show up, listen, and push for meaningful change.

🗺️Residents can learn more about the local resources available through the Interactive Opioid Response Viewer, a public tool designed to support awareness and action. bit.ly/4s9fLET

03/18/2026

The March 2026 edition of the Orange County Insight is now available for your reading enjoyment at https://ow.ly/jOWY50YvXRH! Highlights from this issue include:

🏛️ The Orange County Youth Council visiting with legislators in Richmond
📣 How to stay in the loop regarding Board Meetings (and a reminder about the March 24 meeting being relocated to the Hornet Sports Center)
🥫 A spotlight on FiberLync staff volunteering at the Mobile Food Pantry
🚑 A Welcome to COFEMS Recruit Class 5
➕ Plus, reminders about upcoming events like the Friday Night Fly-In, Electronics Recycling, Drive-Thru Rabies Clinic, and much more!

Orange County's monthly source for in-depth information about activities, programs, events, and more.

03/06/2026

🖤 March 6 is Black Balloon Day

Today we remember the lives lost to overdose and honor the families and communities who continue to carry that loss. Overdose impacts communities across the country and here at home in our region. Behind every statistic is a person who was loved, valued, and deeply missed.

Black Balloon Day is a time to remember those we have lost and to commit ourselves to prevention, treatment, recovery support, and compassion for those still struggling.
Every life matters. Every person deserves support, dignity, and the opportunity to heal.

If you or someone you love is facing substance use challenges, help is available. Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential support and treatment referrals 24/7.

➡️For Narcan and other overdose prevention resources, please reach out to Orange County’s Opioid Response Program at orangecountyva.gov/843/Epidemic-Intelligence-Council-EpIC

For grief support for families and loved ones who have lost someone to overdose, the following resources are available.

➡️Overdose Lifeline Peer Grief Support: www.overdoselifeline.org/peer-grief-support/
➡️Full Circle Grief Center – Overdose and Substance Use Related Loss Support Group: https://fullcirclegc.org/overdose-and-substance-use-related-loss-group/

Orange County EpIC remains committed to working with our community to prevent overdose, reduce stigma, and strengthen pathways to recovery.

01/30/2026

As a reminder, Orange County offices (except the Landfill and Collection Sites, see below) will operate on a two-hour delay today, Friday, January 30.

The Orange County Landfill and Collection Sites will not operate on a delay.

As always, our dedicated first responders are on duty. Please continue to monitor reliable forecasting services and learn more about extreme cold safety at www.weather.gov/bgm/outreachextremecoldsafety. Be safe.

01/24/2026

❄️ The January 2026 Issue of the Orange County Insight is now available at https://ow.ly/A5s350Y2S9Y. As we get ready for the incoming winter weather, pay special attention to the safety tips on page 3. 🌨️

Please continue to be safe and monitor reliable forecasting services, like https://ow.ly/ysZs50Y2Sa8, as the storm approaches. Make necessary preparations NOW, before the storm arrives later today. More information about winter storm preparedness is available at https://ow.ly/CT1M50Y2S9T.

12/10/2025

Today, the Orange/Madison Recovery Court participants surprised EpIC members Laura & Ashley with poinsettias and personal cards that genuinely made their week.

In a season that can feel heavy for so many, this small act of kindness was a reminder of what recovery often looks like: choosing to stay connected, even when life can feel like it’s pulling you the other way.

To everyone in Recovery Court, thank you for your resilience, your honesty, your humor, and your determination. You are the heartbeat of this work, and your journeys are helping shape a stronger, more compassionate Orange County.

12/08/2025

Shout-out to the EpIC Team who bundled up, braved the cold, and showed up with heart at the Orange County Christmas Parade, spreading cheer, connection, and life-saving resources one conversation at a time. ❄️✨

Because here’s the truth: Naloxone is a family resource.
Opioid overdose doesn’t stay in one lane, it ripples through homes, friendships, workplaces, and entire communities. And so does prevention.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, grabbed materials, asked questions, or simply shared a story. You’re helping build a safer, stronger, more connected Orange County. 💜❄️

And a huge thank-you to Heather for making our EpIC sweatshirts, warming us up in more ways than one and giving this movement a little extra style

Recovery is EpIC, and so is this community!