PARSIPPANY — For the third consecutive year, The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills has partnered with “Find Your Fabulosity” to make Valentine’s Day a happy one for the clients of JBWS and Abigail House domestic violence shelters. The women will be surprised with candy valentines, which they can share with their children. They can then feel pretty and pampered with the lipsticks and gloss, which are meant to remind and reaffirm the beauty of these women inside and out. It is our way to offer love, support, and encouragement while these courageous women pursue a new, safer, and better life.

To find out more about “Find Your Fabulosity” located in Longwood, Florida click here.

WCPTH brings together the women of Parsippany and neighboring towns for fellowship and service. As our Mission Statement expresses: The CLUB shall study and take appropriate action in any endeavors which have for their objectives the educational, cultural, and civic betterment of the community and work in harmony with the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the club’s activities, or to participate in our next meeting being held via ZOOM on February 22 at 7:00 p.m., should contact Marilyn in advance of the meeting by calling (973) 539-3703 or e-mail the club at womansclubofpth@gmail.com.  Click here for their website, or like us on Facebook.

Photos courtesy of The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will conduct its regularly scheduled council meeting Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held via a web conferencing program named WebEx. This program will allow the public to listen in to the meeting and to participate during the public portion session only. This program uses a “raise hand” button in the software to address those who wish to speak during the public portion.

Please be advised that in order for a member of the public to speak during the public portion, they will need to provide their first name, last name, email address, address and city accurately. Anyone not using their real name and address will not be allowed to speak during the public portion.

• Click here to download the agenda
• Click here to access the meeting.

For more information, please contact the Township Clerk’s office at (973) 263-4351 or email pthclerk@parsippany.net.

Resolutions and Ordinances can be found below:

• 2021-01 Knoll Golf Fees
• R2021-033 MCCPC Somerset State Bergen Middlesex
• R2021-034 Soil Moving Permit Parq Parsippany
• R2021-035 Performance Guarantee Release Parsippany Hanover Realty II, LLC
• R2021-036 Township Street Lighting Policy
• R2021-037 Authorizing Highlands Grant Agreement
• R2021-038 Sustainability Pledge
• R2021-039 Change Order Number 3 Laboratory Improvements

MORRIS COUNTY — An Overdose Fatality Review Team (OFRT) is being launched in Morris County through a partnership between Prevention is Key (PIK) and the Morris County Division of Public Health to combat the rise in overdose deaths.

The OFRT has enlisted the support of multiple agencies and organizations to begin analyzing data, identifying regional trends, and evaluating strategies to address opioid overdose deaths in Morris County. The initiative is being funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health under a successful model program developed in Maryland.

OFRTs consist of local, multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams of professionals in a position to conduct comprehensive, yet confidential reviews of overdose deaths to ultimately improve response, prevention, treatment and public awareness services.  By fully understanding more about overdose deaths in the county, local health officials can more effectively direct policies, practices, and partnerships to prevent future overdoses and allocate prevention resources and services where they are most effective.

“The idea of gathering a group of individuals from diverse professions to share their perspectives and experiences, and to learn from one another in order to make a recommendation on how to prevent future overdose deaths feels like a massive step in the right direction, and I’m happy to be part of that process,” said Samantha Neville of PIK, who will serve as the coordinator of the Morris County OFRT.

“Opioid overdose fatalities continue to be a serious public health crisis affecting individuals and families from all walks of life. The Morris County OFRT will play a critical and integral role in the development of critical interventions for the prevention of opioid misuse and fatalities,” said Morris County Health Officer Carlos Perez, Jr. Ph.D.

In offering $100,000 grants to cities and counties throughout New Jersey last year, the NJDOH explained that the review teams can uncover the individual and population factors and characteristics of potential overdose victims. Knowing the who, what, when, where, and how of fatal overdoses provides a better sense of the strategies and coordination needed to prevent future overdoses and results in the better allocation of overdose prevention resources and services, according to the NJDOH.

“The Department recognizes the importance of local solutions to bring about a larger change that is needed to address the overdose crisis,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli when the grant opportunity was rolled out last year. “The power of Overdose Fatality Review Teams is that they combine robust data with local partnerships, which is the perfect public health recipe for success. These teams will bring about innovation to help end the overdose epidemic.”

According to the NJDOH, the Maryland project improved the quality of referral systems, enhanced outreach to families to provide overdose prevention and treatment services by local health departments and other providers; identified new audiences for its naloxone training, and amplified overdose awareness.

The NJDOH summarized the responsibilities of all OFRTs in the state:

• Conduct multi-agency/multi-disciplinary reviews of all available information on an individual who dies from an overdose; promote cooperation and coordination across agencies involved in overdose investigations;
• Establish policies and procedures for pooling all available information on overdose deaths from local, county, and state government agencies, law enforcement, private entities that maintain privacy and confidentiality and comply with all applicable State and Federal privacy and confidentiality legal requirements;
• Identify points of contact between deceased individuals and healthcare, social services, criminal justice, and other systems involved;
• Identify the risk factors that put individuals at risk for drug overdose within their jurisdiction; and
• Recommend how to improve local partnerships, policies, and practices to prevent overdose deaths.

Morris County and Prevention is Key are pursuing partnerships with the following agencies and organizations to form an Overdose Fatality Review Team.  Partners may include, but are not limited to:

The Municipal Alliances network in Morris County
Morris County Stigma-Free Communities Initiative
Morris County Mental Health Addictions Services Advisory Board
Catholic Charities
Hope House
Daytop New Jersey
Grace Counseling Center
Morris County Aftercare Center
New Bridge Services.
Hope One
Various public schools
Morris County Department of Human Services
Morris County Prosecutor’s Office
Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility
Morris County Emergency Medical Services
Morris County Medical Examiner
Atlantic Health System
Saint Clare’s Health System