Sixty overdose deaths were reported in Gloucester County last year. The county has recorded 49 so far this year.
Gloucester County has recorded 49 drug overdose deaths so far this year, according to county officials. The total number of overdose deaths last year was 60.
The size of this problem locally and across New Jersey inspired county officials to launch the Gloucester County Addictions Task Force.
Freeholder Jim Jefferson, who oversees health and human services for the county, saw the task force as a way to help connect county residents with support services and educational resources.
This is an opportunity to "bring all the partners to the table," Jefferson said, including the county prosecutor's office, health services and other agencies.
New Jersey Advance Media highlighted the scope of the local problem earlier this year.
Williamstown's heroin death rate in 2014 was nearly 25 times the national average. At least 53 people died of heroin or opiate overdoses in that one community between 2004 and 2014.
The task force itself is made up of representatives from a wide range of fields, Jefferson said, including law enforcement, health care, education and economic development.
"We're trying to get people from all walks of life," he said. For example, those struggling with drugs may have dropped out of school or lost a job. Having professionals on board who can bring expertise in education and business can offer ideas on getting these residents back to school or back to work, Jefferson explained.
Another key component of the task force are parents of addicts, including those who have lost children to drugs.
Kass Foster's son, Christian, died of an overdose in 1997. She went on to help found Parent-to-Parent, a resource and advocacy group that provides support and education for addicts and their families.
The National Park woman said her son was on a waiting list for drug treatment when he died at age 27.
Foster understands the struggle, both from the perspective of a parent and an addict.
"I saw the battle that he was in," she said. "He didn't want to be addicted, but he was."
Through Parent to Parent, which was founded in 1998, Foster and her fellow moms have advocated for funding to expand treatment in South Jersey, as well as legislative initiatives, such as the Good Samaritan Law, which protects those who seek help for overdose victims from prosecution. She has testified in Trenton and worked with every governor since Christie Whitman to bring attention to the issue.
Foster is alarmed by the high death toll from overdoses locally. "It's a nightmare," she said. "Every day we hear of more deaths. We're in a bad time."
Part of the challenge in fighting addiction is addressing stigma, Jefferson noted. While he wants to promote a positive message, some still view addicts as victims of their own bad choices.
"Not everybody talks about it in a way that is hopeful," Jefferson said. "The more we get to know about the problem, the more we see that it can affect anyone in any walk of life. This affects our neighbors, friends and loved ones."
The task force is organizing a candlelight vigil on Aug. 31, in conjunction with International Overdose Awareness Day, to remember local residents lost to addiction.
Anyone interested in honoring a loved one or family member at the event is asked to share the name and photograph of that individual for inclusion in the program, which will be held at James G. Atkinson Park's Millennium Plaza in Washington Township.
So far, 48 names have been submitted.
Foster said this event is just the beginning. "Hopefully, we can continue on and do different things throughout the year," she said. "We're not going to stop there."
Jefferson wants people to remember that those grim statistics about local overdose deaths are more than numbers and that each of those losses are accompanied by a family and friends left to grieve.
"These are real lives," he said. "The ripple affect from losing someone you care about ... it's just heartbreaking."
To learn more about Parent-to-Parent's services, call them at 856-983-3328.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.