70 Fewer ODs, 7 Fewer Deaths: Brick Makes Dent In Opioid Crisis

BRICK, NJ — It has taken thousands of hours and multiple approaches, but Brick Township is finally making some inroads in fighting the opioid epidemic.

"Expanded education, aggressive enforcement and now, rehabilitation," has led to reductions both in the number of overdoses and the number of deaths from opioids and heroin, Brick Township Police Chief James Riccio said Tuesday night as the police department was honored at the Township Council meeting.

There have been seven fewer deaths from heroin overdoses in 2017, and 70 fewer overdoses as of Tuesday, Riccio said as he addressed the council after the department was celebrated for receiving the 2017 New Jersey EMS Director's Award in November. The award, given during the New Jersey Statewide Conference on EMS in November, was in recognition of the department's participation in the piloting of the Blue HART program, which helps those addicted to heroin get into treatment.

Brick Township and Manchester were the two towns that piloted the program, where addicts can come to the police departments and request help getting into treatment without fear of prosecution. The Blue HART program is run in partnership with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Preferred Behavioral Health and Integrity House, and has helped more than 250 people get into treatment so far in 2017, Riccio said.

In Brick, the program operates on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.. People who would like help can come into the police department or approach a police officer and tell them they want help. They are screened for outstanding arrest warrants and then connected with the appropriate treatment services, Riccio said.

Participants are not required to have insurance and there is no fee to participate in the program, which is funded through the use of money recovered through forfeiture proceedings against drug dealers, Mayor John G. Ducey said.

Riccio said it is the hard work of the officers of the Brick Township Police Department that have resulted in the positive effects of the Blue HART (Heroin Addiction Recovery and Treatment) program.

"It's because they embraced it that this program is a success," Riccio said.

"This award is a testament to the dedication of our police department and EMS personnel in the fight against heroin and opioid addiction,” Ducey said. "They are on the front line of this crisis and every day they are out there working to save lives. This award is recognition of those efforts."

The Blue HART program is just one element of the township's efforts to fight the heroin crisis that is gripping the township and the United States as a whole.

The township has been working hard on the education aspect through BMAC, the Brick Municipal Anti-Drug Coalition, which has undertaken a number of educations programs. BMAC has distributed education materials to local pharmacies and to residents that include information on safe disposal of unneeded prescription drugs, a key piece of the opioid crisis. Its members also have taken steps to educate real estate agents about the dangers of medicine cabinet shopping, where people use real estate open houses as a way to access medicine cabinets to steal pain medication. BMAC also supports programs in the schools and after school to provide mentoring for children who are at risk of getting involved in drugs. And hundreds of door hangers about opioid abuse were distributed to homes throughout town in October as part of the annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day.

The township created an ordinance that holds landlords responsible for repeated criminal behavior of tenants, and hired a retired police officer to address code enforcement issues in problem areas of town.

If you or a loved one is struggling with opioid or heroin addiction and would like to seek help through the HART Program, visit the Brick Township Police Department on any Thursday.

Brick Township Police Chief James Ricciio speaks during Tuesday's Brick Township Council meeting. Photo screenshot of the Brick Township Council meeting video (click here to watch)