What we do
We Believe
People who use drugs and who struggle with addiction have a right to access healthcare that meets them where they are at, is evidence-based, affordable, and empowers them to live healthier lives.
WE BELIEVE
There should be transparency and oversight of addiction treatment and recovery programs, and recovery houses and drug courts receiving state & federal funding. They should center around providing dignity and compassionate care to people who struggle with substance use.
WE BELIEVE
We believe in community leadership, meeting people where they are, and not leaving anyone behind. When it counts, we come together as good neighbors - across rural, urban and suburban - because together we can tackle what we can’t alone.
We’re standing together to transform the system in these key ways
We fight to increase access to affordable medication-assisted treatment (MAT): the gold standard of opiate use disorder care that has been shown to reduce the risk of preventable overdose deaths by 50%. In particular, we want to ensure increased access and affordability for those on Medicaid or without insurance. And since a lack of reliable transportation can be a major barrier to receiving treatment, one of our priorities is advocating for more mobile MAT units in NJ with expanded reach in our rural and suburban areas.
We also work to guarantee transparency, accountability, and oversight about where state and county level funding to end overdose is going. This funding, including the $641+ million in opioid settlement money NJ is receiving over the next 18 years, has the power to save lives and move real solutions. But only if we, the people on the frontlines of the overdose crisis, have a seat at the decision-making table and directly benefit from these solutions. To make sure that happens, we need to make sure funding doesn’t go to bad actors who prioritize profits over people. We must also hold programs that get this funding accountable (including rehabs and recovery houses), and hold them to standards that ensure every person that enters them is treated with dignity and evidence-based care – no matter where they live, what their recovery looks like, or what kind of insurance they have.
There are several ways we build people power to win these changes. We bring people together through community education events, planning sessions, and neighborhood outreach. We share our stories and solutions in the press. We meet with our representatives and administrative agencies to educate about and advocate for the solutions our communities are asking for – and push back against bills that move setbacks instead of solutions. And we win state and federal legislation. Whether big or small, there is a role here for everybody who wants to make a difference.
JOIN US IN OUR FIGHT
Now more than ever, we need to stand up and speak out in the name of those we have lost to preventable overdose deaths; and with loved ones who are still with us.