Salem County to Educate Community for Ninth Annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day
10/1/2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2024
Contacts: Lisa Batitto, news@drugfreenj.org
Salem County to Educate Community for
Ninth Annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day
PENNS GROVE, NJ – In an ongoing effort to curb the opioid epidemic's impact on Salem County, the community is gearing up for the ninth annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day. Salem County's Department of Health & Human Services, Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services, is partnering with local organizations to provide vital resources and information to residents about the risks associated with prescription opioids and offer strategies to prevent misuse.
The organizations will be providing educational resources to the public from 2 -4 p.m. Friday, October 4, at the Salem County Board of Social Services, 147 South Virginia Ave., Penns Grove.
This year marks the Salem County Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services’ fifth consecutive participation in Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day, led by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ). In previous years, the county distributed informational door hangers across schools. This year, however, the county is taking a new approach by collaborating with the Salem County Board of Social Services and the Salem County Municipal Alliance.
RESCUE Recovery Coaches will be stationed at the Board of Social Services to share important information about the dangers of prescription opioids and their link to opioid abuse. To help engage the community, the Salem County Municipal Alliance will offer free water ice to encourage residents to connect with the available resources and education.
“Education is power, and I believe the earlier you start educating and talking about the dangers of opioids to kids and teens, the better,” said Jenna Hogate, Municipal Alliance County Coordinator for Salem County Health & Human Services. “This information we provide can and will save lives as they grow and face hard decisions during the years of peer pressure and life’s challenges that may lay ahead. I think what people are doing during KOOAD across the state will make a big difference in that.”
Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is recognized in annually in New Jersey on October 6 as a day to increase awareness of the opioid crisis through a mobilization effort with a dual focus: educating physicians and raising awareness among New Jersey residents and families. It is designed to inform residents and health care providers on the steps they can take to stem the epidemic, from encouraging responsible prescribing and use of opioids to emphasizing the importance of educating children on the dangers of substance use.
“Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day represents a pivotal moment for communities across New Jersey to come together and take action against the opioid crisis,” said Angelo Valente, executive director of PDFNJ. “By joining forces, we can empower individuals with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions, support their loved ones, and ultimately save lives. The dedication and passion shown by our participants each year is truly inspiring, and we are proud to see such a strong commitment to ending this epidemic.”
Throughout the state, participants will be sharing lifesaving information in their communities. On Thursday, October 3, PDFNJ will host a special webinar in its Learning Series, “Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day: Looking Back & Looking Ahead,” featuring keynote speaker Chris Jones, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
In 2023, there were 2,564 suspected overdose deaths in New Jersey, with the majority linked to some form of opioid. The epidemic continues to take its toll through the use of heroin, prescription opioids and synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is a project of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, in cooperation with the Governor's Council on Substance Use Disorder, the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services, and the Community Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Morris, with help from thousands of participants across the state.
Visit knockoutday.drugfreenj.org for more information and to sign up to participate.
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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 230 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.