Effort Continues Murphy Administration Work to Save Lives by Getting Overdose Antidote into as Many Hands as Possible

March 18, 2021

(TRENTON) – Acting Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman announced the Department on Thursday distributed nearly 13,000 doses of the life-saving opioid overdose antidote naloxone to county mobile outreach units that provide recovery support services and connect individuals to treatment.

The Department distributed 6,384 two-dose naloxone kits for free to counties that operate Hope One mobile access units or similar services. The distribution builds on Human Services’ effort during the Murphy Administration to make naloxone accessible, including giving 64,000 free doses to residents at pharmacies and delivering 70,000 free doses to police, EMS, homeless shelters, libraries and reentry organizations.

“Naloxone saves lives,” Acting Commissioner Adelman said. “With this distribution, we’re continuing our effort to get this life-saving antidote into as many hands as possible and to connect individuals to treatment. The county mobile outreach units engage directly with residents to connect them to services that promote recovery and are a great resource in the work to combat this opioid epidemic that has taken far too many lives. I thank them for their partnership, life-saving assistance, and ongoing work to connect individuals to treatment and long-term recovery services.”

The counties receiving naloxone are Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem and Warren. Human Services will be ready to also work with counties that initiate mobile access units.

Recipients will not be required to provide identifying information to receive the naloxone. Each person will receive one two-dose kit, and will be advised to review the safety information provided with each kit.

“Among our many strategies as we combat the opioid overdose epidemic is to ensure that the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone is readily available to as many people as possible,” said Assistant Commissioner Valerie Mielke, who directs Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. “The mobile access units will have trained staffers giving out the naloxone and are required to provide materials about addiction treatment and recovery support services. This will be another tool in our work to save lives.”

As always, Human Services urges residents needing addiction assistance to call the state’s addiction treatment helpline, 1-844-ReachNJ, a 24-hour-a-day, 7 day-a-week addictions help line where people facing addiction or their friends and family can get immediate assistance and support from live, New Jersey-based, trained addiction counselors.

ReachNJ assists callers regardless of their insurance status.

“We want to put people on the path to recovery,” Acting Commissioner Adelman said. “Treatment works. Recovery is possible. Don’t hesitate to call. We are always there for you.”