Operation FREE – Virginia’s Corrections-led Overdose Reduction Strategy

About this Webinar

From 24 Deaths to Zero: How Virginia’s Operation Free Eliminated Fentanyl Overdoses Behind Bars

What does it take to drive fentanyl overdose deaths in a state prison system all the way to zero? Virginia did it — and in this recorded session, you’ll hear directly from the architect of that transformation.

Marcus Anderson, former Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, walks you through Operation Free — the bold, multi-agency strategy that fundamentally changed how Virginia corrections combated the fentanyl crisis inside its facilities.

In this recording, you’ll learn:

• How Executive Order 26 created the policy foundation for statewide action
• The 30-day surge model that mobilized 175+ agencies toward a single, measurable goal
• How handheld mass spectrometers and advanced mail screening technology stopped drugs at the border
• Strategies for intercepting drone-based contraband delivery
• Why acting on overdoses immediately—without waiting for toxicology results—saves lives
• How intensive in-facility treatment programs became a cornerstone of lasting change
• Real-world lessons on overcoming staff resistance and building a culture of transformational thinking

Whether you work in corrections, public safety, policy, or behavioral health, this session offers a replicable blueprint for fentanyl prevention in correctional facilities — backed by measurable results and hard-won experience.

Watch now to learn from a leader who turned an impossible goal into a documented success.