Murphy announces $130.7M investment in harm reduction, community support with opioid settlement funds
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday announced $130.7 million in opioid settlement funds to expand harm reduction services and launch new community-based support initiatives for families impacted by substance use.
The investment builds on New Jersey’s ongoing strategy to combat the opioid epidemic and promote recovery. Of the funding, $118.7 million over five and a half years will support the continuation and expansion of Harm Reduction Centers, while $12 million over three years will provide direct grants to family and community support organizations.
“With today’s investment, we are infusing critical, life-saving resources into our communities most affected by the opioid crisis. This funding strengthens our ability to meet New Jerseyans where they are, at every stage of their recovery journey,” said Governor Murphy. “Over the course of my Administration, we have pursued a whole-of-government approach to reducing the devastating impacts of the opioid crisis, with a focus on empowering community-based resources to save lives, support sustained recovery, and uplift those struggling with substance addictions.”
“Often, the loved ones of individuals struggling with addiction are left to cope in silence, navigating uncertainty and stigma with little support,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman, who chairs the New Jersey Opioid Recovery and Remediation Advisory Council. “This funding sustains investments in evidence-based harm reduction and recognizes the vital role families play not only in healing but in prevention and recovery. We are making a deliberate investment in the organizations that provide a lifeline: support groups, counseling, peer networks, and grief services. These community-rooted efforts are the backbone of long-term recovery and the heart of our response to this epidemic.”
“Science is guiding our response to the overdose crisis, and harm reduction centers are a proven, life-saving linchpin in that strategy. By offering non-stigmatizing spaces that uphold the dignity of every person who walks through their doors, harm reduction centers meet people where they are, providing not only harm reduction supplies, but access to health care, treatment, and services,” said Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown. “I’m proud of New Jersey’s dramatic expansion of harm reduction centers. Now, people in every county can access evidence-based interventions that prevent overdoses and reduce infections.”
The Advisory Council, which oversees the use of settlement funds from nationwide agreements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, released a five-year strategic plan in June after 15 months of planning and stakeholder engagement. Its priorities include housing, harm reduction, treatment, and coordinated wraparound services.
According to state officials, the new funding represents a historic investment, bringing New Jersey’s total settlement allocation for harm reduction expansion to $144.7 million. The money will help scale up brick-and-mortar sites, expand mobile outreach to high-risk populations, and integrate harm reduction services into existing health care settings.
Since reforms in mid-2023 streamlined the process for authorization, the number of Harm Reduction Centers has grown from seven to 55. Of those, 45 sites are currently operating, including fixed, mobile, and mail-based services, with 10 more authorized to open.
In addition, $12 million will support small, community-based nonprofits and businesses that assist families affected by substance use disorder. The funding will provide capacity-building grants ranging from $100,000 to $150,000 for bereavement groups, prevention programs, and harm reduction support services. State officials said this marks the first time New Jersey has invested in hyper-local, small-scale opioid response organizations.
New Jersey, along with counties and municipalities, is set to receive more than $1 billion in settlement funds over the next two decades. Wednesday’s announcement builds on $130 million in opioid settlement spending allocated last year and earlier this month.
