In the News

  • Essex County Students Emerge as Champions in PDFNJ's Fourth Grade Folder Contest

    Posted 5/10/2024

    MILLBURN, NJ— Adam Idrovo from Good Shepherd Academy in Nutley and Emily Ortiz from Lafayette Street School in Newark emerged as winners of PDFNJ's 2023-2024 Fourth Grade Folder Contest. Drawing entries from thousands of fourth graders throughout the state, the competition celebrated young students' creativity in promoting healthy, drug-free lifestyles through their artwork. The winners and the other finalists were honored at a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, May 9.

  • Winners of the 2024 Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs Competition

    Posted 5/9/2024

    MILLBURN, NJ—Original songs from high school students from across New Jersey were broadcast in a virtual concert on May 8, which also served as the finale for the 20th Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs competition. Organized by PDFNJ, the competition highlighted the students' musical talents and dedication to a drug-free lifestyle. The concert attracted about 1,500 listeners who tuned in to support the young artists and listen to their inspiring lyrics.

  • Barnegat High School's Jordan Ford Wins Top Prize in Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs!

    Posted 5/9/2024

    BARNEGAT, NJ—Jordan Ford, a senior at Barnegat High School, clinched first place in the 20th Annual Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs competition, sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. Ford's winning entry, "Fading," captures the struggles of drug misuse through a deeply personal narrative, earning him a $5,000 music contract.

  • Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, PDFNJ and Empower Somerset Collaborate to Bring Opioid Education to Prescribers

    Posted 5/8/2024

    SOMERVILLE, NJ – The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office is increasing its commitment to fighting the statewide opioid epidemic by teaming with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) to provide free opioid prescribing education to healthcare providers within the county. This program is being held in collaboration with Empower Somerset, the Somerset Operation Helping Hand (OHH) initiative and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset.

  • tapinto.net - Somerset County Prosecutor Steps Up Efforts to Combat Opioids

    Posted 5/8/2024

    The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office is enhancing its efforts to combat the opioid epidemic across the state by collaborating with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey to offer complimentary opioid prescribing education to healthcare providers in the county.

  • PDFNJ Takes Leading Role on Panel to Address Fentanyl Crisis

    Posted 5/2/2024

    MILLBURN, NJ —PDFNJ’s executive director, Angelo Valente will join a panel of experts for a free webinar hosted by the National Center for Advocacy & Recovery (NCAAR) from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, in recognition of National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This collaborative event aims to unify efforts across prevention, family education and recovery communities to tackle the fentanyl crisis effectively.

  • wrnjradio.com - Hackettstown HS, Sussex Tech teens named finalists in the NJ Shout Down Drugs music competition

    Posted 4/30/2024

    Four Sussex and Warren counties high school students were named finalists in the Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs competition.

  • PDFNJ Announces 22 Finalists in the New Jersey Shout Down Drugs Music Competition

    Posted 4/29/2024

    MILLBURN, NJ—Twenty-two high school students from eight New Jersey counties have been named finalists in the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) 's 20th Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs competition. The contestants crafted original musical pieces that address substance use prevention and promote a healthy lifestyle.

  • njspotlightnews.org - 29%

    Posted 4/27/2024

    Percentage of NJ residents who say they or a family member has been prescribed an opioid within past two years

  • Three-quarters of New Jerseyans Familiar With Proper Guidelines to Store and Dispose of Medications, Opioids and Edibles

    Posted 4/25/2024

    A majority of New Jerseyans are at least “somewhat” familiar with storage and disposal of opioids and other medications, and less than 3 in 10 report that they or a loved one has been prescribed an opioid as pain medication in the past two years, according to the latest Rutgers- Eagleton Poll collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.