FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2026

Contact: Lisa Batitto, news@drugfreenj.org

2026 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Webinar to Explore Safe Pain Management for Patients of All Ages

MILLBURN, NJ –The next webinar in the 2026 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series will focus on pain management across the lifespan in a session titled “Addressing Pain in All Stages of Life.” The free session will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 26, and is presented by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), the Office of Alternative and Community Responses (OACR), and the Opioid Education Foundation of America (OEFA).

The webinar will feature Sarah Vi Cerreto, a holistic board-certified registered nurse at Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC). Cerreto will discuss approaches to addressing pain, including strategies that emphasize holistic care, patient-centered treatment, and safe pain management practices in the context of the ongoing opioid crisis.

“Understanding how to address pain safely at every age is critical to preventing misuse and improving patient outcomes,” said Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “Educational programs like this webinar help healthcare professionals and community members learn practical, responsible approaches to pain management while supporting broader efforts to reduce opioid misuse.”

The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series has reached over 10,000 participants annually, providing continuing education to professionals in healthcare, behavioral health, emergency services, and community leadership. Since its launch in 2020, the series has featured national and state-level experts who bring a multidisciplinary perspective to combating opioid misuse.

The initiative is part of the broader Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day campaign, held statewide on October 6, which brings together communities and prescribers to raise awareness about the risks of opioid misuse. In 2025 alone, New Jersey saw 1,312 suspected overdose deaths, underscoring the need for sustained, inclusive outreach and education.

To register for the webinar and learn more, visit: knockoutday.drugfreenj.org

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Best known for its statewide anti-drug 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 232 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.