Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office and Human Services Department supports ‘Hope One’ program

HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Bringing important addiction resources to help the community stay safe, several staff members from the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office and Human Services Department attended the ‘Hope One Symposium’ held at St. Elizabeth University in Morris County on April 1, to learn and share practices, ideas and information about community programs that combat the opioid epidemic.

The Hope One Van’s core mission is to offer education and lifesaving resources to those struggling with drug use and addiction by traveling around the community with substance use disorder information and resources, mental health information and resources, family guidance and support, harm reduction information and Naloxone information.

In January 2021, members of the Hunterdon County Commissioner Board and Sheriff Fred W. Brown joined the county’s Department of Human Services for a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the ‘Hope One’ van that now serves Hunterdon County.

Commissioner Susan J. Soloway, who served as Board Director last year, said, “I am proud that our county supports this important endeavor on behalf of our residents and I pray that Hope One will make a positive difference in the lives of those suffering with addiction. As a mother and grandmother, I cannot imagine the pain that a family must face when they lose a loved one to addiction.”

The Morris County Hope One program celebrated their 5th anniversary during the ‘Hope One Symposium’ and were the first to develop this program.

The Symposium featured presentations from the New Jersey State Police Drug Monitoring Initiative, a Trauma Informed Clinical Presentation, The Peer Perspective and a Hope One Panel Discussion.

Since February 16, 2021, the Hunterdon County Hope One staff have made 777 contacts with residents, dispensed 258 brochures for area social service needs, provided Naloxone and trained 81 individuals on how to administer this life saving medication, made 4 referrals to substance use programs and referred 14 individuals to mental health programs.

For more information, visit www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/hopeone.htm or call Stacey Becker at 908-788-1253.