Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners Director Sue Soloway and Deputy Director John E. Lanza joined the County Department of Human Services and Sheriff Fred W. Brown in ho
sting a ribbon cutting ceremony, on Thursday, January 28th, to unveil a new initiative, the Hope One Van, whose core mission is to offer education and lifesaving resources to those struggling with drug use and addiction.
Hunterdon County Commissioner Director Susan J. Soloway said, “As Director of the County’s Commissioner Board, I am proud to support 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.”
The Department of Human Services will support this initiative to bring drug and addiction education and services to the community through an Innovation Grant with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services which Hunterdon County was awarded last year.
“I want to thank Sheriff Fred Brown, Human Services Director Meagan O’Reilly, Assistant Mental Health Administrator Stacey Becker and Hunterdon Prevention Resources who all played an important role in making this day possible.
As a mother and grandmother, I cannot imagine the pain that a family must face when they lose a loved one to addiction. My heart goes out to all those who struggle daily with addiction and mental health issues,” Director Soloway said.
Fir
st launched in Morris County in 2017, Hope One is a unique model which will bring together law enforcement from the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s office and professionals from the Department of Human Services to help combat the ongoing opioid crisis.
Human Services Director Meagan O’Reilly said, “The Hope One team will engage with our community members that may need their help and offer outreach to family and friends who may not know how to access important services for a loved who is suffering from addiction or is in need of mental health services. We are grateful for the support from the county and excited to be able to have an additional resource available for residents to combat addiction.”
In addition to counseling and resources, and in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Hope One Team will be trained in administration of lifesaving Narcan, (also known as Naloxone). This life saving training will be offered by the Hope One Team to local EMT’s and family members upon request.
For more information, or to find out where the Hope One van will be in the county, visit https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/humanservices.htm or call 908-788-1253.