The Burlington County Commissioners are giving families a new tool to combat illicit prescription drug use.
The Commissioners voted to approve the purchase of SafeRx locking prescription pill bottles for distribution throughout the county. Each bottle contains a unique combination lock to guard against unauthorized access and misuse of the prescription drugs, including prescription opioids.
More than 2.2 million opioid prescriptions were written in Burlington County between 2015 and 2022, ranking the county 7th among New Jersey’s 21 counties even though the county’s population is only the 11th largest.
“Too often substance use disorder begins at home with teens pilfering highly addictive and potentially lethal prescription pills from medicine cabinets,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson, the liaison to the Department of Human Services. “Distributing these locking pill bottles is a step we can take to guard against prescription drug abuse and its devastating consequences.”
The County plans to distribute the pill bottles via the Burlington County Hope One Mobile Outreach unit.
The Hope One unit is run by the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Burlington County Department of Human Services and Burlington County Health Department and staff from Virtua Health, Maryville Addiction Treatment Center and the Deborah Heart and Lung Center. It regularly travels to different communities in the county to offer training on overdose antidote use, referrals to recovery services and other resources to those struggling with substance use disorders.
Last year, more than 4,100 people were aided by the outreach unit.
“Hope One has become a gamechanger in our fight against substance abuse by bringing services, education and resources into Burlington County’ communities where people live and work,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Dan O’Connell, liaison to the County Health Department. “We’re proud of the program’s success and we continue to find ways to expand Hope One services. Using the unit to give out free locking pill bottles is a great idea that will get these prevention tools to more people.”
The pill bottles are part of Burlington County’s comprehensive response to the opioid addiction crisis that has claimed lives and devastated local families.
More than 150 people died in Burlington County from suspected drug overdoses in 2022, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office NJ CARES dashboard. The overdose antidote Naloxone (Narcan) was administered 605 times in Burlington County that same year, saving hundreds of lives.
Other actions taken by the Commissioners include the creation of a Regional Advisory Council to develop recommendations for disbursement of opioid settlement monies the County is expected to receive.
Last summer, the Department of Human Services Behavioral Health and Addiction Services Division also teamed with the Burlington County Traumatic Loss Coalition and YMCA of the Pines in Medford to hold a free day-camp for children impacted by substance use disorder.
Overdose emergency kits were also distributed to local high schools and libraries in the last year. The boxes are similar to wall-mounted automated external defibrillator cabinets but contain Naloxone.
“Burlington County is fighting to beat back this epidemic, one life at a time. We’re making resources available and giving residents easy access to prevention tools and assistance,” said Hopson. “Substance use disorder is a disease that can be beaten and Burlington County is providing help, support and hope to those who are battling it.”