Burlington County officials will join with local advocates, residents, providers and families Thursday evening for a vigil memorializing residents who have died as a result of substance use disorder.
The Night of Tribute & Support is held annually on International Overdose Awareness Day to help eliminate stigma surrounding substance use disorder, remember those who lost their lives to the disease, and to provide support to their loved ones.
“Substance use disorder has stolen the lives of hundreds of Burlington County residents of all ages, races and backgrounds. We gather to remember these victims and to show support to their loved ones and to those who are waging their own battles against this terrible disease,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “We continue to provide help and support to those who need it, and we continue to speak out and take action to eliminate stigma surrounding substance abuse and all mental illnesses.”
State Assemblywoman Andrea Katz said the remembrance ceremony offers families impacted by substance use order the opportunities to honor their loved ones and learn about available support and resources.
“It’s important for Burlington County residents and families to know they’re not alone and that Burlington County has programs and resources to aid them and their families,” said Assemblywoman Katz. “Ceremonies like this one also help us eliminate the stigma surrounding substance abuse so those suffering or impacted by this illness are not afraid to come forward and seek help.”
The vigil and remembrance ceremony will be held at 7 PM this Thursday, Aug. 29, at the Burlington County Amphitheater, 5 Pioneer Boulevard, Westampton. The event is organized by the Burlington County Coalition for Health Communities, Burlington County Department of Human Services, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the support group, Shouting for Shelby.
This year marks the 7th year the Burlington County vigil has been organized.
Former Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the event. Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw and Alisa Baron of Britney’s Justice 4 Overdose Awareness, are among the scheduled speakers. The vigil will also feature musical performances, tributes and the reading of the names of loved ones lost due to substance use disorder.
The Burlington County Hope One Mobile Outreach Unit will be present at the amphitheater, along with the new Hope One for Youth van.
Hope One for Youth launched earlier this year to provide mental health services and outreach to county children and teenagers. The unit travels to local schools, youth group meetings, houses of worship and community events to help educate teens, children and parents about mental health, substance use prevention, emotional well-being, resiliency and stigma-reduction.
Both Hope One and Hope One for Youth are part of the County’s comprehensive response to the opioid crisis. Among the actions taken include:
- Creating a Stigma-free Burlington County campaign to dispel misconceptions and increase awareness about substance use disorder and mental illnesses and the services available to individuals and families.
- Launching the Burlington County Peer Recovery Center inside Burlington City’s municipal building to provide a community-based location where individuals in recovery can receive peer support and information about treatment programs, support services and community resources.
- Partnering with the Burlington County Traumatic Loss Coalition and YMCA of the Pines in Medford to create Camp Cardinal, a free day-camp program for children impacted by substance use disorder. The camp launched in 2023 and was expanded this year.
- Distributing overdose emergency kits to schools, libraries and other public spaces in Burlington County. The wall-mounted kits contain the overdose reversal drug Naloxone, commonly called Narcan.
These actions and the support provided by numerous partner organizations has helped reverse an increase in overdose deaths experienced in the county from 2013 to 2019.
During the last five years, the number of suspected drug overdose deaths in Burlington County has decreased 22% from 164 deaths in 2019 to 128 deaths last year, according to NJCARES data published by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
“We’ve taken action to provide new supports and resources to dispel stigma that can hinder recovery and prevent residents in need from receiving treatment,” said Hopson. “Every life we save is a victory and we won’t rest until the number of overdose deaths reaches zero.”