OpenLetterfromtheNewJerseyOpioidSettlementAdvisoryCouncil:LawmakersMust ReversetheRaidofOpioidSettlementFunds
DearGovernorMurphy,SenatePresidentScutari,andAssemblySpeakerCoughlin,
Untilthispastweek,NewJerseywasanationalmodelinhowwemanagedouropioidsettlement funds,takinginputfromthoseonthefrontlinesoftheoverdosecrisisandmakingtargeted investmentsinservicesproventosavelives.
Thatallchangedwhenstatelawmakerssuddenlyandunexpectedlydiverted$45millionof opioidsettlementfundstofourlarge,politically-connectedhospitalsystemswithnostrings attachedorplanforhowthosefundswillbespent.
AspubliclyappointedmembersoftheNewJerseyOpioidRemediationandRecovery AdvisoryCouncil,wearedeeplyalarmedbythisdecisionandwhatitmeansforthefuture ofNewJersey’soverdosepreventionefforts.
Thisdiversiontakesfundingawayfromlifesavingharmreductionservices,housingprograms, medicationassistedtreatmentandrecoveryservices,andwraparoundsupportthatwerealready approvedbytheState.
Theseservicesatriskofbeingcutarethesameonesresponsibleforreducingoverdosedeaths fromanall-timehighof3,171in2022to1,813in2024 a43percentreductionthatstate healthofficialscredittonewevidence-basedharmreductionprograms.
RaidingtheopioidsettlementfundcompletelyunderminestheroleofourCouncil,whichexists toensurethesefundsareusedforoverdosepreventioninitiativesthatareeffective, evidence-based,androotedincommunityneed.
Weweretaskedwiththisresponsibilityspecificallytoavoidrepeatingtwocriticalmistakesof thepast:NewJerseywasoneofthelaststatestoembraceevidence-basedharmreduction,which fueledouroverdosecrisisbyfailingtoinvestinresponsesthatactuallywork,andlikemany states,wesawtobaccosettlementfundsdivertedawayfromsmokingcessationprogramstoplug budgetholesinstead.
Wedonottakethisresponsibilitylightly.Webringbothpersonalandprofessionalexperienceto thiswork.Weserveonthefrontlinesofthestate’soverdoseresponseeffortsandareoftenthe firstresponderstooverdosesinourcommunities,workinginharmreduction,treatment, prevention,andlong-termrecoverysupport.Weseewhat’sworkingandwhat’snot.Andwe haveseenthedifferencethatstatefundingcanmakeinourcollectivework,andhowitcanmake thedifferencebetweenwhethersomeonelivesordies.
WorkinginpartnershipwithMontclairStateUniversityandtheDepartmentofHumanServices, wespentthelast15monthsconductinglisteningsessionsacrossthestate,gatheringpublic testimony,holdingfocusgroups,andsurveyingthousandsofNewJerseyanstodevelopour
comprehensivefive-yearstrategicplantoguidethestate’sopioidsettlementfund.Itreflectsa thoughtful,data-drivenandhuman-centeredroadmapforsavinglivesandrepairingcommunities.
Wehavealwaysknownthattheroughly$1billionNewJerseywillreceiveover18yearsisa dropinthebucketcomparedtothetruecostofthiscrisis,especiallywhenyouconsiderthatonly halfofthesefundsgotothestate.That’swhyourCouncilhasworkedsohardtoensureevery dollarwouldbeusedwisely,buildingalastingfoundationofharmreductionservices, community-basedrecoverysupport,treatmentaccess,wraparoundservices,andsafe,stable housingineverycornerofthestate.Butallofthatisnowatrisk.
Wesimilarlyunderstandtheveryrealfinancialpressuresfacingourhospitalsystems,particularly withanticipatedfederalcutstoMedicaid.However,$45milliondividedamongfourlarge hospitalsystemswillnotmeaningfullysolvethosebudgetshortfalls.Whatitwilldois underminetherelativelylow-cost,community-basedprogramsthatpreventpeoplefromneeding emergencycareinthefirstplace.
Theironyhereishardtoignore:takingmoneyawayfromoverdoseresponseandaddiction serviceswillsendmorepeopleintocrisisandfurtheroverwhelmanalreadystrainedhealthcare system.
Westronglyurgelawmakerstoimmediatelyreversethediversionofopioidsettlement funds,restorefundingtotheevidence-basedprogramsourCouncilrecommended,and preventthisfromhappeningagainwithlockboxprotectionsaroundhowthesefundscanbe used.
Weoweittothosewe’velost,tothosewhoarefightingtosurvive,andtothenextgeneration whodeservebetterthanasystemthatfailsthemtwice.
Sincerely,
MembersoftheNewJerseyOpioidRecoveryandRemediationFundAdvisoryCouncil
BreAzanedo AdvisoryCouncilMember ProgramManager,BLMPaterson
MorganThompson AdvisoryCouncilMember CEO,PreventionLinks
ShirlaSimpson AdvisoryCouncilMember
AmesikaNyaku,MD,MS FormerAdvisoryCouncilMember
RobertDeture AdvisoryCouncilMember CEO,TurningPoint
JennaMellor AdvisoryCouncilMember ExecutiveDirector,NJHRC
SolomonMiddletonWilliams AdvisoryCouncilMember