Camden County Lauds Partnership With Hospitals On Opioid Crisis

There have been more than 480 deployments of the heroin antidote naloxone countywide in the last seven months, Camden County officials said on Monday.

It was seven month ago that the Freeholder Board, Camden County Chief’s Association and healthcare providers came together to assemble a plan to provide police officers throughout the county with the antidote, which is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and prevent the victim from dying.

“For police today, having naloxone on their belt or in their car is no different than carrying their radio, handcuffs and firearm,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, who lauded the healthcare systems for tearing down the obstacles to obtaining naloxone, as well as the police officers on the streets who are administering it.

“This is another tool that they can use to save a life and I’ve spoken to officers that have deployed it more than 25 different times to protect the sanctity of life,” Cappelli said.

Naloxone reverses the effects of an overdose by dislodging the opioid from the brain’s receptors.
Currently, about 120 people a day are dying of an opioid overdose throughout the country, according to county officials. While there were thousands of non-fatal overdoses that occurred in Camden County in 2017, there were also more than 277 fatalities that occurred as a result of an overdose.

The numbers provided by the county on Monday only account for deployments by law enforcement personnel. They do not take into consideration other first responders administering naloxone.

“As this epidemic continues to evolve, individuals on the front lines of the crisis must have the ability to immediately act when they find someone in distress,” Cappelli said. “Many times, that is our local law enforcement and every day they are fighting to provide another chance for someone to detox, get clean, and find treatment. Based on the first six months this new partnership has already paid extensive dividends to the residents of Camden County.”

Earlier this year, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and the county’s four healthcare providers signed a memorandum of understanding providing naloxone to police officers. Hospital emergency departments have also been on the front lines of this battle administering naloxone on a regular basis, as well working in tandem with law enforcement.

“Our healthcare organization, which has been on the forefront of addressing the opioid crisis on several levels, has seen first-hand the incredible impact of providing the antidote Narcan to area law enforcement officials,” Jefferson Health-New Jersey President Joseph W. Devine said. “We are honored to be part of this impactful and valuable county-wide program. The value of collaborative partnerships between health care organizations and law enforcement in battling this epidemic cannot be overstated — by working together, we have, and will continue to make a real and lasting impact in saving lives.”

“We are happy to be part of this lifesaving program, but the statistics remind us of how devastating the opioid crisis has become, and how addiction affects all cross sections of our community -- men and women of all ages, races, ethnic backgrounds, and socio-economic circumstances,” Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer at Cooper University Health Care Dr. Adrienne Kirby said. “We are hopeful for the day when such a program is not needed.”

“As an Emergency Department physician, I have seen first-hand the devastation of opioid addiction,” Dr. Jim Baird, of Jefferson Washington Township Hospital, said. “By working together, healthcare organizations, law enforcement, elected officials, and community advocates and organizations can, and are, helping save lives. The Camden County Narcan program has proven an important first step in regional collaboration to combat the opioid epidemic we all face.”

“This project is an excellent example of the positive impact we can have on our communities when we partner to tackle a public health crisis,” Assistant Vice President of Safety, Security and Emergency Management Virtua Paul Sarnese said. “Virtua is proud to be a part of this effort to save lives and give hope to those who are struggling with addiction.”

“The Opioid Crisis knows no demographic or geographic boundary, so it is imperative that our community and hospital partners utilize a collaborative approach,” Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Lourdes Health System Mark Nessel said. “At Lourdes Health System, we have been proud to partner with Camden County along with Burlington County, where we have held a longstanding Narcan donation agreement.”

“The partnership between law enforcement and all the hospitals operating within Camden County is essential in combating this public health crisis,” Pine Hill Police Chief Christopher Winters said. “While law enforcement and first responders are many times on the front lines in dealing with opioid related overdoses, this partnership goes beyond the deployment of Narcan.

“After saving the life of an individual suffering from an overdose, providing the opportunity for a second or even third chance, many times we as law enforcement are left asking, ‘what is the next step?’ The open lines of communication between law enforcement and medical professionals within Camden County and dedication to working together in addressing the ‘next step’ has allowed for greater access to the treatment necessary to truly save the life of an individual suffering from addiction.”

Patch file photo