|
Dear Friends,
I recently sat down with Rob Nelson on NJ PBS to talk about New Jersey’s opioid settlement funds (my segment starts at 19:09). Every one of those dollars exists because people lost their lives, their health, or someone they loved to addiction. That’s why how we spend it matters so much.
Recent reporting has raised questions about how some counties and towns are using their share. Those decisions have real life consequences. When the money goes to the wrong place, someone who is finally ready to ask for help may find nowhere to turn, and a family may keep struggling on their own.
I also wanted to talk about what’s working. Across the state, these investments have expanded housing and treatment and strengthened harm reduction and recovery community centers. At Prevention Links, we see what that means every day. Billy Selgado first came to Recovery Junction, one of our recovery community centers, while facing addiction, mental health issues, and homelessness. He went on to join our staff, helping others the way he was helped. Watch his story here. Having someone who understands what you’re going through, and a place where you’re welcome, can change the course of a life.
I was honored to help develop New Jersey’s Opioid Settlement Strategic Plan, which guides how these funds are invested using data and input from people with lived experience. It commits to saving lives and supporting long-term recovery, and to being accountable for whether the money actually does that.
That accountability depends on transparency. The 2026 state and local spending reports are public, and I’d encourage you to read them. Ask questions where something doesn’t add up, and give credit where progress is evident.
Thank you to the partners investing in this work and to everyone who has shared their story to help shape it. We owe it to everyone affected by this crisis to make it count.
| 
