December 21, 2021
Dear New Jersey Legislators:
We are losing a generation of loved ones and family members to the overdose crisis. In 2021, New Jersey is on track to lose more people to overdose deaths than ever previously recorded, with overdose death rates rising fastest among Black and Hispanic/Latinx residents. New Jersey’s overdose crisis compounds the existing HIV and Hepatitis C burdens borne by residents, and is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, people living with a substance use disorder are more likely to become ill and die from COVID-19, with Black residents living with an opioid use disorder most harmed by the pandemic. Fortunately, the New Jersey State Legislature is currently considering legislation to remove barriers to syringe access (S-3009/A-4846), decriminalize syringe possession (S-3493/A-5458), and save lives. We urge you to change New Jersey’s restrictive laws by passing this legislation — immediately and with the urgency that residents at-risk of overdose deserve. As public health experts, clinical providers, and recovery advocates, we know that substance use is a public health issue and that syringe access programs are one of the best healthcare tools we have to end the overdose crisis. Decades of research show that syringe access programs decrease the harms related to substance use while not increasing violence, crime, or substance use itself. People who access syringe services also get access to HIV testing, on-site medical advice and referrals, food, hygiene products, medications for opioid use disorder like buprenorphine, recovery support, and more. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when people have access to a syringe access program they are: • • • •
Less likely to die from an opioid-related overdose Five times more likely to stop substance use that causes them problems Three times more likely to stop substance use altogether 50 percent less likely to acquire HIV and Hepatitis C
Despite the clear benefits of syringe access programs, New Jersey has woefully underutilized the lifesaving public health tool for decades. Restrictive syringe access
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laws are an undue and discriminatory barrier to healthcare for our patients, clients, and neighbors. We do not require a municipal ordinance for pharmacies, doctor’s offices, or methadone clinics — but we put this additional (and discriminatory) hurdle in front of lifesaving syringe access services. The consequences of New Jersey’s restrictive laws are deadly. New Jersey only has seven syringe access programs serving a state of over nine million residents across 565 municipalities. Kentucky has over 20 times as many syringe services per capita as New Jersey, and our law is more restrictive than those of North Carolina, Tennessee, or Georgia. The evidence is clear: syringe services work. Syringe access programs increase safety and wellbeing for individuals and our communities while reducing burdens on our first responder and healthcare systems. Arguments against the programs, unfortunately, are rooted in stigma and discrimination, not public health. Like the Star-Ledger editorial board, we agree that “opposition to harm reduction centers does not hold up.” As public health experts, healthcare providers, recovery advocates, and clinicians who have vowed to do no harm to our patients, it is our responsibility to support legislation to remove restrictive barriers to syringe access (S-3009/A-4847 and S3493/A-5458) and advocate for basic healthcare access for all people who use drugs and people living with a substance use disorder. Every day we wait, our patients, loved ones, and communities are suffering needlessly. Take action today to prevent overdose deaths and save lives.
Sincerely, Michelle Adyniec, RN, BSN RN Clinical Manager Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers Kavya Aggarwal Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Taylor Aguiar Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
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Kathy Ahern-O’Brien Executive Director Hyacinth AIDS Foundation Alexandra Altamura Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Lillie Armstrong Senior Manager, Drug User Health NASTAD Yuliza Avelar MSW Candidate Rutgers University Bre Azañedo Harm Reductionist & HIV Specialist BLM Paterson Quincy B., MSW, DSW, CFSW Soumaya Bahlouli Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Elizabeth Burke Beaty, CPRS Founding Executive Director Sea Change Recovery Community Organization Soumitra Bhuyan Assistant Professor Rutgers University Nicole Bixler, LCSW, LCADC President Operation In My Back Yard Ricky Bluthenthal, PhD Associate Dean of Social Justice Keck School of Medicine
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Khoa Boi Community Health Educator South Jersey AIDS Alliance Emily Bosk, CSW Assistant Professor of Social Work Rutgers University Ya’Shauna Bosley Community Health Worker Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers Dorothy Bowker, LPC Coordinator, Atlantic County Overdose Fatality Review Team Atlantic Prevention Resources Alyssa Brantley, CHES HIV Educator & Counselor Ocean County Health Department Erica Braun Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Madeline Breda Medical Student Raina Brown, MPH Ethan Burg Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Chelsea Cain, MA Visiting Professor of Criminology The College of New Jersey Rev. J. Amos Caley, MSW, M.Div Prison & Drug Policy Senior Fellow Salvation and Social Justice Shai Cali Psychotherapist
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Michele Calvo, MPH Public Health Expert & Person in Recovery Elissa Campanella Analyst New Jersey Organizing Project Marquis Chandler, PhD Assistant Professor Long Island University Martha Chavis CEO & President Camden Area Health Education Center Clement Chen, PharmD, BCPS Renee Cirillo Public Health Program Specialist Jenny Conger, LCSW, LCAC, CCS Social Worker Kiara Cruz Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Becky Cocito, LSW Program Manager Northern NJ MAT Center of Excellence Natalia Dafonte, EMT Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Emily Davidson Medical Student Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Corey Davis, JD, MSPH Eliezer Defranca, LCSW Therapist
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Kimya Nuru Dennis, PhD Health Equity Educator & Trainer 365 Diversity Madeline Desrosiers, CPRS Prevention Links Jerry C. Dillard, CSW, CAS, NCAPS-II, NFAS Executive Director & CEO The Coalition on AIDS in Passaic County (CAPCO) Resource Center Kelly K. Dineen, RN, JD, PhD Associate Professor Creighton University Denise Donnelly Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Jennifer Dunkle, PhD Assistant Professor of Social Work Stockton University Jessica Dunlap, MSW Janet Duran Co-Founder New Jersey Red Umbrella Alliance Frederick Durant Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Colin Dwyer Executive Director Opioid Crisis Response Fund Michael Enich MD/PhD Candidate Rutgers University Betsey Erbaugh, PhD Associate Professor Stockton University
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Jeffrey A. Feldman, MSW, LSW Director, Advocacy & Communications National Association of Social Workers – New Jersey Chapter Robert I. Field, JD, MPH, PhD Professor Drexel University - Thomas R. Kline School of Law & Dornsife School of Public Health Brooke Finnerty Community Health Educator South Jersey AIDS Alliance Ilona Fishkin Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Linda Flint LCSW, LCADC Clinical Supervisor Richard Hall Community Mental Health & Wellness Center Dayna Fondell, RN, MSN Associate Director of Clinical Redesign Initiatives Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers Leo Gefter Medical Student Hackensack Meridian Medical School Sandy Gibson, PhD, LCSW, LCADC Professor of Counselor Education The College of New Jersey Drew Gibson, MSW Senior Policy Manager for HIV & Harm Reduction AIDS United Cynthia Golembeski Vice President, New Jersey Public Health Association Health Policy Research Scholar, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Kim Govak, National CPRS Program Director Center for Family Services Living Proof Recovery
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Rachel Graves, MD Resident Physician University of Pennsylvania Anthony C. Gray Jr. Direct Services Coordinator New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition Laurie Ann Greene, PhD Professor of Anthropology Stockton University Gina Grosso, LSW Gretchen Halfpenny, MSW Facilitator, Overdose Fatality Review Team Atlantic Prevention Resources Tabitha Handelong, LSW Substance Use Disorder Therapist Angels In Motion Carol Harney CEO South Jersey AIDS Alliance Rachel Haroz, MD Physician Mark Hewett Community Health Educator South Jersey AIDS Alliance Jessica Hines Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers Ella Hopkins, CPRS Program Coordinator Center for Family Services Amy Hu, PharmD Pharmacist Mariel S. Hufnagel
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Founder & Principal Hufnagel Holistic Solutions Jordan Intrator Medical Student
Gracie Jenkins Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Andrea M. Jones, MSN, RNC-NIC, RRT-NPS Harm Reduction Nurse Gloucester County Health Department Brianna Jones Housing Navigator Senior Citizens United Community Services T. Stephen Jones, MD Retired Public Health Physician Eileen Kaplan Recovery Advocate Marianne Kehoe, LCSW, M.Div DiAnne Kelly Regional Director of Outreach Services Helping Hand Behavioral Health Claire Marie Kemp Harm Reduction Volunteer & Pre-Medical Student Andrew Kim, MSW, LSW Graduate Assistant Rutgers University Beryl Koblin, PhD Infectious Disease Epidemiologist Independent Consultant Simran Kripalani Medical Student
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Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Aaron Kucharski Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator New Jersey – Recovery Advocacy Project
Steven Landers, MD, MPH President and CEO Visiting Nurse Association Health Group Greg Langan, LSW, MPH Program Director South Jersey AIDS Education Training Center Erica LaRocca Program Assistant for Clinical Redesign Initiatives Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers Lindsay LaSalle, JD Managing Director, Policy Drug Policy Alliance Antonia Lewis Community Health Strategist National Network of Public Health Institutes Amy Lieberman, JD Harm Reduction Attorney Nathan Wong Link Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Rutgers University Jamey Lister, PhD, MSW Assistant Professor Rutgers University School of Social Work Robert Lord- Schell Team Leader South Jersey AIDS Alliance Nicholas Lozano
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Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Anais Mahone, LCSW Christine Malalis, CPRS Peer Support Specialist Rutgers University Emilie Mankopf Project Coordinator Rutgers University School of Social Work Lauren Manley MSW Candidate Rutgers University Brooke Mauriello Data Manager of Overdose Fatality Review Team Atlantic Prevention Resources Diana R. McCague Harm Reduction Expert Brian McGovern CEO NJCRI Jenna Mellor, MPA Executive Director New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition Alicia Mendez, MSW, PhD Candidate Project Director Rutgers University Theresa Messineo, LCSW, LCCADC, CCS, CCTP Clinical Supervisor Resa Treatment Center Jennifer Miles Postdoctoral Associate Rutgers University Michael B. Mitchell, MA, PhD Candidate
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Assistant Professor of African American Studies & Criminology The College of New Jersey Stephanie Morano-Weaver, MPH, CPH Manager of Community & Patient Engagement Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Naima Morrison, MSW Clinician Newark Community Street Team Lydia Munoz, LCSW CEO Spanish Community Center Tamika Muse, CPRS Center for Family Services Ken Musgrove Director of Recovery Support Community in Crisis David L. Nathan, MD, DFAPA Clinical Associate Professor Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Julie Neufeld, LCSW Therapist Susan Nierenberg, RN, CMS Alison Noble, SCHE Senior Community Health Educator South Jersey AIDS Alliance Bonnie Nolan, PhD, LCADC pending Addiction Services Coordinator Division of Addiction Services Woodbridge Township Health Department Molly Nowels PhD Candidate Rutgers University
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Amesika Nyaku, MD, MS Assistant Professor & Physician Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Sara O’Kane, MSW Medication Clinic Associate Richard Hall Community Health & Wellness Center Caitlin O’Neill Director of Harm Reduction Services New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition Heather Ogden Advocacy Coordinator NCAAR-BH Jennifer D. Oliva Associate Dean & Professor of Law Director of Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law Seton Hall University School of Law Charly G. Oscanoa Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Jacob P. Treatment Associate New Hope Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Wendy E. Parmet, JD Distinguished Professor of Law Northeastern University School of Law Natasha Patterson, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor of Public Health The College of New Jersey Marissa A. Perrone Co-Founder Friends of Safehouse Elizabeth Pfeifer, LPC Sheilah Powell, CPRS, NCPRSS Person in Recovery & Advocate
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Mainstream Recovery Christopher Powers, CPRS Supervisor Division of Addiction Services Woodbridge Township Health Department Jenna Reidy Person in Recovery Recovery Community Liza Restifo, LCSW, LCADC Michael E. Rivera, LCADC Robert Lowry Harm Reduction Coordinator Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Priscilla Robinson Organizing Director-NotOneMoreNJ New Jersey Organizing Project Brenda I. Rosado Case Manager South Jersey AIDS Alliance Laura Sanchez Human Services Planner Community Planning and Advocacy Council Timothy Scheinert, EMT-B Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Rebecca Seman HIV Prevention Navigator & Case Manager Integrity House Poojas Shah Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Varsha Shrinet
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MPH Candidate Rutgers University Michael S. Sinha, MD, JD, MPH Adjunct Faculty & Visiting Scholar Center for Health Policy and Law Northeastern University School of Law Carla Sofranski Co-Founder Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Network Mary J. Sorini Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Austin Sroka, MSW Rutgers University Jackie Stanmyre, LCSW, LCADC Assistant Director, Center for Gambling Studies Rutgers University Sephoko Stokes, CHW South Jersey AIDS Alliance Jeni Stolow Assistant Professor Temple University School of Public Health Kimberly Sue, MD, PhD Medical Director, National Harm Reduction Coalition Assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine Sonia M. Suter, JD Professor of Law The George Washington University School of Law Roxanne Sutocky Director of Community Engagement Cherry Hill Women’s Center Eamon Thomasson Medical Student
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Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Brian Thompson Housing Coordinator Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers Peter Treitler, LSW, LCADC Research Specialist Rutgers University
Sarah Trocchio, PhD Assistant Professor Meredith Turshen, PhD Professor Emerita Rutgers University Marleina Ubel, MSW Policy Analyst New Jersey Policy Perspective Aryadne Valadao, LSW Bergen County Therapy Lauren Valentine Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Stacey A. VanAuken, CPRS Rutgers UBHC - TRS Daphna Varadi Medical Student Karen Walker, LPN Director of HIV Services Paterson Counseling Center, Inc. Erica Wan Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Georgett Watson
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Chief Operating Officer South Jersey AIDS Alliance Debra L. Wentz President and CEO New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. P K Williams, PhD Associate Professor The College of New Jersey Jason Williams, PhD Associate Professor of Justice Studies Montclair State University Sean K. Wilson, PhD Visiting Assistant Professor of Criminology & Affiliated Faculty, Cannabis Research Institute William Paterson University Peg Wright CEO The Center for Great Expectations Zinab Yaqoobi Montclair State University Svati Zaveri, EMT Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Erin Zerbo, MD Associate Professor of Psychiatry Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Robert Zlotnick Executive Director Atlantic Prevention Resources Allison Zuckerberg Medical Student Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
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