MORRIS COUNTY — On Thursday, May 10, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury delivered a presentation on the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic at the New Jersey Association of Counties Annual Conference in Atlantic City. They were joined by county government representatives and elected officials from all twenty one counties throughout the state. The Heroin and Opioid Epidemic is a major issue across New Jersey and it is necessary for all of the counties to work toward their common goal of combatting this problem.
The presentation educated the audience on the various strategies that the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office has implemented throughout the county. One of the main tactics utilized is the Narcan 2.0 program, in partnership with the Morris Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success (CARES). Narcan 2.0 connects people who have been administered a dosage of Narcan to reverse an overdose, with a Peer Recovery Specialist who provides counseling options and services. It has been extremely successful since its implementation in May of 2017, as 71% of Narcan recipients over that time frame have accepted the services of the Addiction Recovery Response Team.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seabury also emphasized that law enforcement maintains its focus on treating those suffering from substance abuse disorder, while prosecuting for-profit illicit drug dealers for their involvement in the epidemic. This includes Strict Liability Death Prosecution, which holds these illicit dealers responsible if someone overdoses and dies from drugs that they distributed.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and its community partners continue to have a major impact in combatting the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic. Education and prevention are keys to the success, and the New Jersey Association of Counties Conference gave the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office the opportunity to share with community leaders throughout the state the strategies that have been successful to this point.
