New Jersey Attorney General to Headline Launch of Webinar Series on Opioid Addiction During COVID-19 Pandemic

MILLBURN, N.J., June 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey are collaborating with NJ CARES and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General on a new series of webinars focusing on the opioid crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Webinar Series.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal will lead a group of expert speakers who will address the state's efforts to tackle the opioid crisis in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in "The Perfect Storm: The Impact of COVID-19 on Addiction" at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 11. Future webinars will be held July 23, August 20 and September 24.

"Even before the coronavirus, New Jersey was battling a different public health crisis--the opioid epidemic. And that crisis isn't letting up just because we've turned our attention to fighting COVID-19," Grewal said. "This is a difficult time for everyone, but particularly for individuals struggling with addiction. We must double down on our efforts to ensure that treatment and recovery services remain available and accessible to those who need them now more than ever."

Grewal, who has been a leader nationwide in the fight against the opioid epidemic, will deliver welcoming remarks for Thursday's webinar, which will also feature presentations from Lt. Jason Piotrowski of the New Jersey State Police's Drug Monitoring Initiative; Heather Ogden, Advocacy Coordinator from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence - New Jersey; and Jaime Angelini, Director of Consumer Services for the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, through its philanthropic arm, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, has been collaborating with PDFNJ on a two-year Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative to address the opioid epidemic through community outreach, prescriber education, parent education and a statewide awareness campaign.

PDFNJ and Horizon have expanded the initiative in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a webinar series to help continue the conversation about the opioid crisis.

To learn more about the Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative and to register for the webinar, please visit https://knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org.

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SOURCE Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey