On Thursday, Governor Murphy announced the allocation of over $95 million from New Jersey’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund to support important programs tackling the opioid crisis, connecting New Jerseyans with tools to reduce overdoses and other harms of substance use, and supporting the treatment and recovery of residents struggling with substance use disorders.
At the recommendation of the State’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Advisory Council and with extensive input from the public, six programs addressing four priority areas–harm reduction, prevention and recovery support, treatment, and housing–have been identified to receive funding over the next two to three years.
This funding will be invested in initiatives to bolster services and address the needs of those who have been adversely impacted by the opioid crisis, including:
- $24 million over two years to expand harm reduction and drug user health services at authorized Harm Reduction Centers, and to deploy harm reduction supplies through partner organizations in high-need areas. This will support startup and expansion by the 32-and-counting Harm Reduction Center sites authorized under P.L. 2021, c.396 as implemented in 2023.
- $17.505 million over three years to expand operations at New Jersey’s 22 Community Peer Recovery Centers, which provide treatment information and other resources in supportive, substance-free environments.
- $9.025 million over three years to replace and add mobile units providing Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) services in the community.
- $19.5 million over three years to scale remote referrals to enable 24/7 connections to care from vetted treatment providers and harm reduction services. This statewide expansion aims to build upon federal funding that DOH is using to pilot the Medication for Addiction Treatment & Electronic Referrals (MATTERS NJ) platform in four counties.
- $17 million over three years to bolster the supported housing continuum, including emergency shelter beds for immediate needs, short-term rental subsidies, transitional housing beds, and permanent housing assistance.
- $8.1 million over three years to expand the New Jersey Keeping Families Together program, which supports parents with opioid use disorder through housing vouchers and rental subsidies, case management, linkage to community services, and therapeutic supports.
The Departments of Human Services, Health, and Children and Families will administer these initiatives. Meanwhile, New Jersey will continue to address new challenges in the opioid response including the emerging threat of fentanyl adulterated or associated with xylazine (FAAX) in the drug supply nationwide. In 2024, $500,000 will be used to deploy wound care supplies, hygiene kits, and, through authority under P.L.2023, c.224 enacted in January, xylazine testing supplies.
We encourage you to share this information with your public safety and public health officers.
Contact: Paul Penna, Senior Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.