Sheriff Golden Spreading HOPE To Individuals Who Need it Most This National Night Out
Monmouth County: Sheriff Shaun Golden is doing more than taking a bite out of crime on National Night Out. He along with Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni and drug recovery specialists are providing HOPE, to those suffering from addiction. The HOPE One Monmouth Mobile Unit, an innovative, leading approach to combating the opioid epidemic in Monmouth County, was unveiled in conjunction with National Night Out on Aug. 7 in Asbury Park.
“The heroin epidemic remains one of the most important crises law enforcement in Monmouth County must conquer and HOPE One will be a vital asset, as we continue to lead the way in the fight against drug abuse,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “This mobile outreach component, the first of its kind in Monmouth County, will lead to a path of recovery. Instead of individuals who are struggling with addiction coming to us, we travel to them, meet one on one, and offer services and options which will help combat drug overdoses and deaths.”
HOPE One, adorned with a purple ribbon on the outside to exemplify recovery, will travel into communities several times a week, staffed with a sheriff’s officer, a certified peer recovery specialist and a licensed clinician.
They will connect individuals with substance use disorder and family members, to immediate services, treatment facilities and Naloxone training.
There have been 114 overdose deaths so far in 2018 in Monmouth County, with 84 of them being heroin related.
“HOPE One is a great example of the outside-the-box thinking that we need to help those in dire need of assistance,” said Christopher Gramiccioni, Monmouth County Prosecutor. “A mobile assistance unit brings another vital resource to our communities when we cannot rely on drug abuse to stop at town boundaries. This presents us with a vital opportunity to reach a person that may not otherwise have the ability to take the first step towards addiction treatment.”
The M
onmouth County Sheriff’s Office’s 32 feet long mobile outreach unit was once the Communications Division’s Field Communications truck and utilized for large-scale incidents and community events.
“This great approach to combating drug abuse is a partnership and commitment formed between law enforcement and substance abuse recovery specialists, who both share a common goal,” said John Brogan CEO Lifeline Recovery Support Services. “That is to address the deadly problem of addiction in our communities, and save lives by securing a path to healthier and sober living.”
Representatives from Hackensack Meridian Health, Carrier Clinic, NJ Reentry Corp, Mainstream Recovery, Ocean Mental Health Services and Behavioral Wellness and Recovery are assisting in providing the much needed recovery services for individuals.
For a downloadable version of this press release, click here: News Release – Sheriff, Prosecutor and Drug Recovery Specialists Unveil HOPE One
