I recently read a few articles that discussed a report from the Commonwealth fund. The report measured the performance of state health systems looking at 47 different categories including; access and affordability, prevention and treatment, avoidable use and cost, and healthy lives. The results indicate that death rates from suicide, alcohol, and opioids are at an all-time high in the United States. Opioid overdoses and suicides, in particular, were the two driving factors for the decline in the average life expectancy rate.

Some states proved to be more susceptible to certain issues. New Jersey, for example, scored highly in the healthy lives category; it ranked third lowest in suicide deaths, fourth lowest in alcohol deaths, and fifth lowest in adult-smoking deaths. Opioid death rates are a much more concerning statistic. The state ranked 39^th in drug poisoning deaths.

A countless number of people have lost their lives from opioid overdoses since the start of the epidemic, but the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and all its collaborators remain determined to save lives.

Don’t forget that you also play a part in the solution. If you personally know someone with a substance use disorder, please contact ReachNJ: (609) 292-6000