NEW JERSEY TREATMENT CENTER
The need for rehabs in NJ has significantly increased as the opioid crisis worsened over the past few years. Presenting one of the biggest public health care issues the state has seen, the statistics surrounding drug and alcohol abuse in New Jersey are staggering. Much like the rest of the country, the state of New Jersey is not immune to the ongoing opioid crisis, including illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl, as well as legally available prescription drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone. New Jersey residents also suffer from alcoholism and addictions to other hard drugs simultaneously. Instead of finding a rehab in NJ, many have found it helpful to seek a geographic change and find away from the addicts home where they were misusing drugs but is also relatively nearby.
Drug Abuse in New Jersey
New Jersey currently ranks 39th in the nation for overall substance abuse rates, judged by trusted surveys. Still, the numbers from the New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System can highlight the extent of this epidemic. In 2015, there were a reported 69,477 hospital admissions for substance abuse, of which more than 13,000 were repeat patients. In the state, Essex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties had the highest rates of admissions.
Alcohol Abuse in New Jersey
Behind heroin, alcohol is the second-most abused substance in New Jersey. Accounting for more than 25% of drug-related treatment admissions in 2017, alcohol problems have been reported by adult men and women, as well as high school students.
In 2016, the average number of DUI’s in New Jersey jumped to 1522 per month which is a sharp increase from an average of 1304 per month the year prior.
Alcoholism and associated trouble is not a new problem we are encountering. An age-old institution, it is imperative for people to realize when they’re drinking has become out of hand, and that they would benefit from going to alcohol rehabs in New Jersey.
New Jersey Takes Action to Combat Addiction
Over the past 14-year period, drug overdose deaths have increased tenfold. The state has seen a 51 percent increase in overdose deaths, which is making the need for legislative action and rehabs in NJ clear.
The State of New Jersey’s Governor, Chris Christie has made it his priority to combat addiction by implementing programs and task forces. Since taking office, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has taken several steps to make a dent in the ever-increasing statistics with legislation to help with rehabs in NJ.
Timeline of New Jersey State Fight Against Addiction
July 2012:Â New Jersey saw a statewide expansion of drug court and mandatory treatment, establishing drug court in all 21 NJ counties, and mandatory treatment at rehab in New Jersey for drug-related charges.
April 2014: NJ’s Narcan program saw expansion statewide to help reduce the number of heroin-related deaths by training and equipping law enforcement and first responders with Narcan to overdose victims.
September 2014: Governor Chris Christie created the Facing Addiction Task Force – a 12-member team of leaders and experts to fight addiction through treatment found in rehabs in New Jersey, and prevention measures.
October 2015:Â To counter the overusing and abusing of dextromethorphan, found in more than 12 over-the-counter prescription pills and cold medications, the sale of dextromethorphan became illegal to anyone under the age of 18.
April 2016: New Jersey’s Prescription Monitoring Program, responsible for a central database, allowing participating states to share records on the sale of prescriptions for Controlled Dangerous Substances, expanded to include New York, the seventh state participating in the program in the northeast.
January 2017:Â The Governor announced expedited legislation to be passed this month to ensure people cannot be denied coverage by their health insurance provider for their first six months at a drug rehab in New Jersey.
January 2017: Executive Order 219, signed by Governor Chris Christie to strengthen his administrations fight against substance abuse, declared the opioid epidemic a public health crisis in New Jersey. This action created the Governor’s Task Force on Drug Abuse Control and required the marshaling of all appropriate resources to combat the harmful effects of opioid abuse in the state.
April 2017: The New Jersey state Governor opened New Jersey’s first Drug Rehab in NJ, located in a prison. This marked the opening of the first licensed, clinically driven drug rehab in New Jersey.
If you have any questions regarding rehabs in NJ, please contact GateHouse Treatment today at (855) 448-3588
