A recent survey reported by the Partnership to End Addiction shows how pervasive the opioid crisis is in our country.  According to the survey, almost 30 percent of families in the United States has a family member currently dealing with or who has died as a result of an opioid use disorder. More than 1,500 overdose deaths have occurred in New Jersey so far this year.

“These findings are not surprising,” said Robyn Oster, senior research associate of health law and policy at Partnership to End Addiction. “With over 110,000 overdose deaths predicted in 2022 and more than 46 million people reporting having substance use disorder in 2021, it is inevitable that so many people would have family members impacted and be concerned about the mental health and addiction crises. Pervasive stigma and underinvestment have predictably led to a lack of access to needed services.”

Unfortunately, less than half (46 percent) of the families reported that their family member received treatment for the substance use disorder. An overwhelming majority of the participants (90 percent) approved of having a treatment center in their community.

PDFNJ continues its commitment to collaborate with community organizations, government agencies and faith-based institutions to address this crisis in a comprehensive manner. Please make every effort to participate in Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day on October 6.