mycentraljersey.com: Central Jersey takes aim to knock out opioid abuse

10/6/2017

 

Hospital and emergency room treatment rates for prescription opioid overdoses decreased as ER treatment rates for heroin overdose skyrocketed, according to newly released hospital data.NorthJersey.com

CENTRAL JERSEY - Efforts are being made throughout Central Jersey to knock out the opioid abuse problem with more than just a one-two punch.

As part of the statewide Knock Out Opioid Abuse campaign, communities, churches and hospitals have planned activities and programs aimed at attacking the problem. Several are planned for Friday, but other events will be held throughout the month.

Statewide, as of May 2017, there were 76,509 substance abuse treatment admissions and 74,291 discharges in 2016 reported to the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

An estimated 2,000 people in New Jersey died from an opioid overdose in 2016, and an average of 144 people in the U.S. die daily from opioid overdoses, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.

The New Jersey Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Substance Abuse Overview 2016 published in June 2017 by the state Department of Human Services indicates that Somerville, Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Manville and Bound Brook were the top five Somerset County municipalities for substance abuse treatment admissions.

In Middlesex County, the top five were Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, New Brunswick Middlesex Borough and Edison.

In Hunterdon County, the top five were Flemington, Glen Gardner, Clinton, Milford and Hampton.

In Union County, the top five were Elizabeth, Plainfield, Union, Linden and Rahway.

From 3 to 4 p.m. Friday, U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J. 7th District), will be walking with Community in Crisis volunteers in the area of Forest Trail Road in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards, to talk to residents and deliver information about opioid abuse.

Stella Perna, Service Unit Manager, Girl Scouts; scouts Elizabeth Perna and Emily Perna; Somerset County Freeholder Peter Palmer; former Basking Ridge Mayor Carol Bianchi; Clodette Sabatelle; Lt. Scott Ward; Congressman Leonard Lance; Police Chief Brian Bobowicz; Jody D’Agostini and Kaitlin Cartuccio after delivering information about opioid abuse in the neighborhood last year. (Photo: ~Courtesy of Clodette Sabatelle)

At noon Friday in New Brunswick, the Saint Peter's Healthcare System will host "The Opioid Epidemic: A Perspective on Addiction" in the Sister Marie de Pazzi Conference Center on the ground floor of Saint Peter's University Hospital, 254 Easton Ave.

The program is part of the Saint Peter's Healthcare System's multidisciplinary effort to reverse the epidemic of opioid drug abuse and deaths through education, community engagement, non-narcotic alternatives to pain management and resources. 

Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski, Jean Stevenson — mother of a young woman who died of an opioid overdose — and Marge Drozd, Saint Peter's director of community health services, are scheduled to speak.

Saint Peter's and partners also will address opioid abuses starting 9 a.m. Oct. 25 during a daylong series of talks for students, parents and faculty in South Plainfield public schools.

Community in Crisis and PAUSE ministries will benefit from a 5K run and 1-mile run at  10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. and the race start is scheduled for 10:30.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Somerset County residents are invited to join a conversation on the national opioid epidemic in a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall at the Bernards High School Performing Arts Center, 25 Olcott Ave., Bernardsville. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson; Jody D'Agostini, Community in Crisis  founder and chair; Gregg Benson of Clinical, Consultation and Training Services; Michael Pittman, Humble Beginnings Recovery Centers outreach coordinator; Dr. Michael Gerardi of Emergency Medical Associates, and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16th District) are the scheduled speakers.

 

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey event, organized with the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, will focus on the link between prescription drug dependency and heroin abuse.

On Oct. 15, St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Basking Ridge will celebrate Recovery Sunday by recognizing, supporting and praying for those in recovery from substance abuse. Michael Pitman of Bernards will share his journey of recovery at 9 a.m.

On Oct. 28, communities will be asked to safely dispose of any unwanted medicines and use a MedLock Box as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency's Take Back Day to help reduce access and availability of medicines in the home.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey event, organized with the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, will focus on the link between prescription drug dependency and heroin abuse.

On Oct. 15, St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Basking Ridge will celebrate Recovery Sunday by recognizing, supporting and praying for those in recovery from substance abuse. Michael Pitman of Bernards will share his journey of recovery at 9 a.m.

On Oct. 28, communities will be asked to safely dispose of any unwanted medicines and use a MedLock Box as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency's Take Back Day to help reduce access and availability of medicines in the home.

Other events can be found at www.drugfreenj.org

Statewide, the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall series has included collaboration and support from hundreds of local prevention and treatment organizations, local and county law-enforcement agencies, government and medical community leaders.

 

"All residents of New Jersey are encouraged to join the conversation and participate in their local Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall to understand the disease of addiction, develop strategies to help protect their families and identify resources to address individuals who have become dependent on prescription drug or are abusing heroin," said Angelo Valente, Partnership for Drug-Free New Jersey executive director.

As part of Knock Out Opioid Abuse, volunteers spearheaded an effort to raise awareness of the opioid abuse epidemic. Legislators, community leaders, concerned citizens, families, students and substance abuse professionals will distribute vital information about the risks of dependency on prescribed pain medicine and the link to heroin abuse.

 

Prescribers will be encouraged to discuss the dangers of opioids when they are prescribed, including the risk of dependency and possible alternatives. Copies of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prescribing guidelines will be shared with each prescriber visited, and prescribers will be asked to follow the guidelines and information on local organizations, and resources focusing on opioid abuse will be provided for physicians to share with their patients.

Volunteers also will leave door hangers, with information on the link between prescribed opioids and heroin abuse, on the front doors of homes in some communities. 

In Old Bridge, elementary school students will bring home the drug abuse prevention literature, according to police. In Hunterdon County, Freedom House has been active and plans to be at a couple of local grocery stores to distribute information on opioids.

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is a project of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America New Jersey in cooperation with the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services and the Community Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Morris, with assistance from thousands of volunteers statewide.

Last year, more than 2,000 volunteers participated in the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day distributing information on safe prescribing practices to physicians and dentists as well as opioid abuse prevention messages in communities.

The New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly unanimously approved joint legislation designating Oct. 6 in perpetuity as Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in the state. 

"On an average day in the U.S., more than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed, even though there is not data to suggest that Americans are experiencing more pain than they have in the past. Why? For one thing, prescription drug use has become increasingly socially acceptable in recent years," said Al Babbington, PrescribeWellness chief executive officer.

 

"For another, pharmaceutical companies continue to develop and launch aggressive marketing strategies for their products. But pharmacies can help. Pharmacists are the healthcare professionals in the best position to instruct and help monitor the proper use of opioids and to catch accidental abuse caused by prescriptions written by multiple physicians for different indications."

Last month, CVS pharmacies announced they are limiting opioid prescriptions to seven-day supplies for new patients facing acute ailment. CVS also looks to boost funding for addiction programs, counseling and safe disposal of opioids.

Lance last week announced that Community in Crisis Inc., Prevention Resources Inc. in Hunterdon County and Empower Somerset Inc. each was awarded a $125,000 grant from the Drug-Free Communities Support Program and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to assist communities addressing the problem of opioid and heroin abuse, provide education and implement preventive measures.

"We're losing more than 60,000 people per year to drug overdose, but if we can stop young people from starting to use drugs in the first place, we can save lives," said Richard Baum, acting director, National Drug Control Policy.

Staff Writer Suzanne Russell: 732-565-7335; srussell@mycentraljersey.com