For the first time in a decade.

Overdose deaths are down in New Jersey across all racial and ethnic groups.

State data released Wednesday attributes the trend to New Jersey's investment in harm reduction services and other high quality treatment.

Still, more than 2800 people died from drug use during that time, averaging out to more than seven deaths a day, and overdose remains the overall leading cause of maternal mortality in the state.

Health care writer Leigh Those.

Stay tuned joins me now for more insight and a deeper look at the numbers.

Hey, Lilo, so let's start with the good news.

There's been a decline in overdose deaths, not just in general, but in every ethnic category, which we haven't seen in quite some time.

Correct.

And this is this is big news because the numbers started trending downward in New Jersey.

You know, I guess in 2022 it's kind of hard because the data, this data in particular is is a year or so old.

But the numbers overall were trending down.

And that's because, you know, the largest group, number wise of overdoses is among white people.

But the numbers among black, men and black people and Black and Hispanic people were still going up.

And this was a real, you know, concern for officials because we've been putting a lot of money and effort in New Jersey into addressing this issue.

But it and it was having effect, but it wasn't having effect everywhere.

And what do they attribute that to in terms of the rate still being double that for for black men.

And it looks like overall.

Yeah.

I mean I think that it's largely, you know, this becomes an issue of how do we reach people.

I can tell you what what I'm told is the things that are working, for example, are, you know, last fall, I talked to Martha Chavez at the, Camden Area Health Education Center, which does the, syringe exchange program in Camden.

And, you know, her team said this is really about, you know, creating trust.

So that people who are on the edges, you know, people who may still be using drugs, but they keep coming back if you treat them with respect, if you show them some grace.

If your mission is to save lives, you know, they're distributing Narcan, they're distributing, clean needles, which means you're reducing the HIV or reducing hepatitis rates, which is saving lives.

But the narcan counter than the nalaxone is also, reversing overdoses.

And, you know, someone told me we I think we talked about this at the time, but someone told me that you can literally find Narcan in the bushes in Camden.

People will leave it in areas where they know there are hotspots, so that people who need it can get it.

Yeah.

I'm thinking to just about the areas where we typically know, that these overdose deaths happen.

How did the data found that out?

I mean, where are we still seeing this concentrated?

What parts of the state.

Right.

Well, so there's still a couple counties that are, you know, hotspots, Camden being one of them.

Hudson and Essex are also a concern.

But even there, the numbers are going down.

I mean, Camden went from, you know, and again, this is 2022 to 2023.

So they went from 328 deaths to 286.

It's like a 13% reduction.

Not huge but you know for those people that survived, this means everything.

They're doing more to reach the people in need.

And keep them coming back.

Yeah.

And and so then what are the plans then moving forward?

Is the state looking to keep investing in these same type of tactics so that this trend continues, or where are they setting their sights?

Yes.

I mean, it seems like this is something they really lead them to into under Doctor Bastion at the Department of Health.

You know, she comes from this background.

She worked in addiction in Camden and and has seen this up close.

You know, I keep thinking that the data that we're looking at today doesn't really even take into account some of the programs.

Like last, in 2024, I visited, a program in Newark run by integrity House that has a mobile, a mobile facility on, on the street in Newark.

And they also now have a facility, brick and mortar downtown.

Those are just getting started.

And what we know from preliminary 2024 data is that the numbers come down even further.

So this is good news.

The sort of bad news, if you will, is that we're still dealing with, you know, too many deaths, too.

So 2800 people and more than 2000 last year, we are pretty sure.

And the drugs are getting stronger and stronger, right?

Fentanyl is predominant now.

It's in everything, including what you think are party drugs.

And that's a problem.

You can, take a look at Leila's full reporting and take a look at the data for yourself on our website, njspotlightnews.org.

Lilo, thanks so much.

Thank you, Bri.