On April 23, 2019, New Jersey attorney general Gurbir S. Grewal announced that the state had launched a new tool (https://nj.gov/oag/newsreleases18/pr20180222a.html) to help fight the opioid epidemic. This data tool, the Integrated Drug Awareness Dashboard, is interactive and data-driven. It utilizes information from multiple sources, including New Jersey's Department of Health, the Office of the Attorney General, the Division of Consumer Affairs, and state law enforcement bodies. The purpose of the tool is to help state agencies share important information related to opioids.
Initially, only members of law enforcement agencies and public safety agencies will be able to use the tool as a way to exchange and analyze opioid data. Eventually, state officials hope that they can expand the use of the tool across other public health agencies.
A tool such as the Integrated Drug Awareness Dashboard is a significant step toward developing a comprehensive approach to fighting the opioid epidemic. The tool allows the private sector and local and state agencies to build partnerships.
Using data obtained from the dashboard, law enforcement agencies may develop evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of New Jersey communities. Data from the tool can lead to efficient and timely responses. Data may allow law enforcement agencies to identify opioid hot spots and allocate resources and law enforcement efforts for those communities.
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The dashboard is part of an ongoing effort by the state of New Jersey. The design of the dashboard began in early 2018 after the state created the Office of Coordinator of Addiction Response and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES).
Continuing Efforts:
Launching the Integrated Drug Awareness Dashboard was one of three major opioid-related announcements that Attorney General Grewal made on April 23, 2019. The second regarded the expansion of Operation Helping Hand (https://bigthink.com/stephen-johnson/operation-helping-hand-80-of-arrested-drug-users-in-nj-accept-free-treatment-in-experimental-program), a state program that pairs law enforcement officials and community health partners to reach people who are at risk for substance abuse or people who are already living with drug addiction. To break the cycle of addiction, the program offers free treatment to people who have been arrested for drug-related crimes. The program began in five New Jersey counties and has expanded statewide.
The third major opioid-related effort in New Jersey announced on April 23, 2019 is New Jersey's partnership with Rowan University (https://today.rowan.edu/home/news/2019/04/26/rowan-university-provide-online-opioid-education-program-nj-health-care) to subsidize continuing education for the state's health care professionals. Officials hope that this new training may help health care professionals detect the early signs of opioid addiction and provide treatment before the addiction worsens.
New Jersey's Worsening Opioid Crisis:
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (https://www.drugabuse.gov/opioid-summaries-by-state/new-jersey-opioid-summary)(NIDA), New Jersey experienced a huge increase in overdose-related deaths in just a few short years. In 2016, there were 2,221 deaths (https://nj.gov/oag/newsreleases18/pr20180925b.html) to drug overdoes in New Jersey, but the number skyrocketed to 3,163 overdose deaths (https://nj1015.com/3000-die-from-overdoses-in-a-year-a-new-nj-record/) in 2018.
Prior to the 2019 announcements in New Jersey, many people arrested for drug-related charges faced incarceration or other legal consequences. State officials hope that the 2019 programs help create opportunities for affordable and accessible addiction treatment that can prevent overdose deaths and lower the state's drug-related costs.
While the efficacy of New Jersey's newest efforts remains to be seen, this comprehensive state-wide approach might be the key to serving the most at-risk populations in the state. They may help solve complex problems and lower numbers of opioid-related overdoses and deaths in the states.
Written by Charles Watson (https://twitter.com/charleswatson00). To date, I enjoy writing about the opioid epidemic (https://www.sunshinebehavioralhealth.com/drug/opioid-addiction-treatment/) and other health related issues.