Galloway Residents Seek Solutions to Opioid Epidemic at Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall

5/8/2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2019

Contact: Matt Birchenough, 201-916-1032, matt@drugfreenj.org

Galloway Residents Seek Solutions to Opioid Epidemic at Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall

GALLOWAY — Local leaders and experts on the statewide opioid crisis addressed the impact of the epidemic on the local community before a capacity crowd Tuesday night at a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey.

The Galloway event — the second in a series of 21 town halls to be held in a community in each of New Jersey’s counties in 2019 and 2020 — examined the scope and extent of the opioid crisis in the township and what actions are being taken to address it.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey held a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall in Galloway on Tuesday, May 7. From left, Jennifer Goudy, Senior Program Officer, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey; Dr. Brian Acunto; Galloway Police Chief Donna Higbee; Galloway Ambulance Chief Chuck Uhl; Laurie Smith of Join Together Atlantic County; Scott Gras, peer recovery specialist with the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office; Reverend Mike Walker of Highland Community Church; Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey Executive Director Angelo Valente; and Galloway Mayor Anthony Coppola Jr.

 

“There’s not a day that goes by without hearing or seeing a story in the media or in our neighborhoods on the impact of the misuse of prescription medication, heroin abuse and the countless overdoses impacting all of our communities and so many of our families,” said PDFNJ Executive Director Angelo Valente. “Together we gather to learn how a community can address the epidemic.”

The expert panel of speakers included Galloway Police Chief Donna Higbee; Dr. Brian Acunto of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center; Galloway Ambulance Squad Chief Chuck Uhl; Reverend Mike Walker of Highland Community Church; Scott Gras, a peer recovery specialist with the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office’s Hope One Mobile Unit; and Laurie Smith, Community Initiatives Coordinator for Join Together Atlantic County.

“The first step is being here, educating yourself and being aware,” Higbee said.

In 2018, 190 people in Atlantic County died from drug overdoses, a majority of which due to some form of opioid, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. That same year, law enforcement personnel in the county administered naloxone more than 700 times.

Galloway’s emergency services have been active in administering naloxone since 2014. While police and emergency medical personnel have helped revive numerous people, the difficulty is in getting those saved further help.

“We cannot force them to get to treatment,” Higbee said.

Panelists discussed ways to improve the community’s response to the opioid epidemic, including providing a more comprehensive guide for residents on the options for prevention, treatment and support provided by groups in Galloway, including houses of worship.

The Galloway town hall was held in collaboration with the Galloway Township Police Department, Join Together Atlantic County, Atlantic Prevention Resources and AtlantiCare.

To watch a video of the Galloway Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall, visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org.

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Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey: Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication.  To date, more than $100 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 174 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.

About The Horizon Foundation For New Jersey: The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is committed to working alongside those who can help us improve our neighbors’ health, inform their health decisions and inspire them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. The Foundation’s funding pillars are Caring, Connecting and Creating. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the sole member of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, both of which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, please visit www.Horizonblue.com/Foundation