Opioid Overdose Prevention Project Expanding Statewide

The Opioid Overdose Prevention Project started a year ago in Central Jersey with funding from the New Jersey Division of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, will continue and expand to North and South Jersey with an additional $1-million from the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, according to a partner in the project.

JSAS HealthCare in Neptune, is part of the central region covering Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer, Hunterdon, Somerset and Union Counties. Edward J. Higgins, CEO and Executive Director, said families are provided with free Narcan kits and training on how to administer the nasal spray used to reverse overdoses from heroin and other opioid drugs.

Those who complete the training, receive identification cards, in the event a Narcan refill, according to Higgins.

All project partners also will duplicate what JSAS has been doing over the past 12 months.

"We're giving out free treatment vouchers, which allows people to come into treatment without having to pay any fee, for the intake, the blood work, the physical exam, and they have 30 days that they can stay in treatment free, and that gives us an opportunity to really make a decision with them as to where and what is the best level of care, and at what site location, and we can make arrangements," said Higgins. He added, "We've had more than 50 percent of them who have chosen to stay in treatment here in Neptune. But, if it made better sense for them to transfer to a clinic in Ocean County, or to another acceptable form of treatment, we would facilitate that."

As of August 31, 2015, JSAS has had 124 people redeem vouchers, according to Higgins.

"Our first objective is get them off heroin or other opioid drugs, but then we also are looking at do they have an alcohol problem, do they take tranquilizers, are they using cocaine, things like that, and that factors into the final decision as to where ultimately their best site for treatment would be," Higgins said. He noted the success rate after 90 days of treatment is about 65 percent or higher.

Each region will receive $225,000 per year, for two years, beginning October first, according to Higgins.

"Besides trying to make treatment much more accessible and available, you need to be equipping family members and individuals themselves with the ability to reverse something that otherwise would take their life," added Higgins.

Ocean County, where fighting the heroin battle has been a priority of Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato, is included in the South Jersey region, being covered by Urban Treatment Associates, according to Higgins.