The new unit is now operating in eight municipalities throughout Monmouth and northern Ocean Counties.
Prevention Resource Network’s mobile Harm Reduction Center (HRC) is officially active and delivering services to provide a safe, trauma-informed, non-stigmatizing space for people who use substances. The new mobile unit operates in Asbury Park, Brick, Eatontown, Keansburg, Keyport, Long Branch, Red Bank, and Toms River.
“This initiative represents a significant step towards compassionate, effective support and enhanced quality of life for individuals living with drug-related challenges,” said Shannon Preston, MSW, LSW, Director of HIV Community Services at VNA Health Group.
PRN’s new harm reduction mobile unit enables people who use substances to safely access naloxone, sterile syringes, and other safer-use supplies. The mobile unit also assists in the responsible disposal of used syringes and offers access and guidance to substance use disorder treatment, healthcare, and support for essential needs.
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) approved the mobile unit – the first approval for a harm reduction site in the state in five years – on August 31st to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day.
“The rollout of the mobile unit represents a transformation not only in the perception toward those affected by substance use but also in how we support and empower them,” said Cole Zaccaro, Manager of Harm Reduction Services at the Prevention Resource Network. “We have already recognized a profound impact on the individual lives and on the overall fabric of our communities.”
Nationally, drug overdoses have tragically taken the lives of more than 932,000 individuals in the past 21 years, and the annual mortality rate is on an upward trend, with over 100,000 reported cases in 2022 (per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In 2022, 3,000 individuals in New Jersey fell victim to overdose.
About Prevention Resource Network’s Harm Reduction Center
The Prevention Resource Network’s Harm Reduction Center is a program of VNA’s Children & Family Health Institute and the VNA of Central Jersey. The program provides various services to those not yet ready or willing to participate in substance abuse treatment, including overdose prevention and naloxone distribution, syringe access, wound care, and linkages to low-threshold treatment. PRN’s Harm Reduction Center aims to keep people safe and minimize death and injury from high-risk behavior.
About Children and Family Health Institute
From pediatric home care and early intervention programs to prenatal care, primary care, and dental health, the Children and Family Health Institute at Visiting Nurse Association Health Group supports people of all ages with over 20 programs and services. We strive for every child and family in New Jersey to be happy and healthy by linking vital community resources to those who need them.
Each year, more than 54,000 parents and children rely on the Children and Family Health Institute to access the care and services they need to achieve their best level of health and well-being. For more information, please visit https://vnahg.org/children-family-health-institute/
