PATERSON, N.J. – U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) recently convened a statewide summit to explore solutions to the heroin and opioid addiction epidemic gripping New Jersey and the nation.
Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-Bergen, Passaic, Hudson), Acting State Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett, representatives from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Drug Enforcement Administration, local law enforcement, the medical community, addiction services providers, and mental health advocates participated.
“Too many New Jerseyans have fallen victim to addiction. Too many lives have been lost. Too many families torn apart,” said Sen. Menendez. “We need an ‘all hands on deck’ approach, including physicians, nurses, patients, families, law enforcement and communities. Successfully addressing our nation’s and our state’s opioid addiction crisis requires us to be creative, to think outside the box, about how to not only serve those individuals battling an addiction, but to effectively prevent addictions in the first place.”
“Heroin addiction and opioid abuse have reached epidemic levels in the United States, and it is tearing individuals, families and communities apart. Last year, opioids, including heroin killed over 28,000 people in the U.S., which is greater than any year on record,” said Sen. Booker. “I was pleased to have this important, substantive conversation with legislators, advocates, and other community leaders today, which has strengthened my commitment to fighting for federal resources that support law enforcement efforts as well as education and treatment funding so that together, we can tackle this crisis head on.”
“As a former mayor and a member of the Congress’ Heroin Task Force, I believe that opioid addiction is an epidemic that requires immediate action,” Rep. Pascrell said.
Pascrell praised St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Paterson.
“I have heard far too many stories about how drug abuse is hurting young people and families. That is why I commend St. Joseph’s for their efforts to virtually eliminate the use of prescription painkillers in their emergency department and instead treat pain using alternative methods. However, we must do more on the federal level to invest the necessary money and resources to combat this problem. In the Congress, I will continue to push for robust funding for programs that aim to prevent and treat substance abuse.”
List of participants:
Federal Government
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez
U.S. Senator Cory Booker
U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09)
Dennis Romero; Regional Administrator – SAMHSA
Dir. Chauncey Parker – NY/NJ High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, DEA
Special Agent Chris Jakim – DEA
State/County Government
Acting Commissioner Cathleen Bennett – N.J. Dept. of Health
State Senator Raymond Lesniak
State Senator Nellie Pou
State Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly
Capt. Juan Colon – N.J. State Police
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes
Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni
Passaic County Undersheriff Joseph Dennis
Robert Nixon – N.J. Police Benevolence Association
Medical Providers
Mishael Azam – COO, Medical Society of N.J.
Deborah Hartel – Behavioral Services, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center
Dr. Mark Rosenberg – Chair of Emergency Medicine, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center
Elizabeth Ryan – President & CEO, N.J. Hospital Assoc.
Kevin Slavin – President & CEO, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center
Dr. Alexis LaPietra – Dir. of Pain Mgmt., St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center
Treatment Professionals
Richard Bowe – Executive Dir., Addiction Professionals Cert. Board
Robert Budsock – President & CEO, Integrity House
Pamela Capaci – Executive Dir., Prevention Links
Meagan Glaser – Deputy State Dir., Drug Policy Alliance
Ed Martone – National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
Alan Oberman -CEO, John Brooks Recovery Center
Mike Santillo – Administrative Dir. – Eva’s Village
Angelo Valente – Executive Dir., Partnership for a Drug Free N.J.
Debra Wentz – CEO, N.J. Assoc. of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies
The meeting followed the announcement of the Alternatives to Opiates Program (ALTOsm) at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, the nation’s first Emergency Department-based approach to acute pain management without the use of opioids and the potential addictions associated with opioid use.
