New Jersey is allocating nearly $50 million more to fight the opioid crisis, targeting housing, treatment for uninsured residents, and care for pregnant women.
Governor Phil Murphy announced the fresh round of funding on December 23, drawing from New Jersey’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund to expand programs aimed at reducing overdoses and stabilizing residents in recovery.
The allocation brings New Jersey’s total opioid settlement spending north of $324 million, highlighting a long-term goal to close gaps in care and strengthen recovery support across the Garden State.
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on every corner of our state,” Murphy said, calling the latest investments “life-saving and life-altering” for vulnerable communities.
Read the full press release here
Where the Money Goes
The $47.84 million in new funding will support a mix of treatment, housing, and prevention initiatives:
- $15 million to expand access to substance use treatment for uninsured residents
- $8 million for facility upgrades, expansions, and mobile treatment units
- $10.5 million spread over three years to expand housing and services for medically complex individuals in Essex County
- $4.86 million over three years to keep 30 to 35 additional families together through the Keeping Families Together housing program
- $6.2 million over two years to launch a Perinatal Centers of Excellence pilot focused on substance use treatment during pregnancy
- $3 million to monitor and evaluate settlement-funded programs
- $250,000 to study administrative barriers limiting access to care
State officials say the goal is to reduce delays in treatment and remove obstacles that often prevent people from getting help.
“These investments reflect New Jersey’s unwavering commitment to saving lives and expanding access to evidence-based care,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman.
Housing at the Center of Recovery
At the center of the new funding is housing stability.
State data shows more than 40 percent of families in New Jersey’s child welfare system lack safe, stable housing. The Keeping Families Together program has already helped more than 600 families remain housed while carefully navigating addiction recovery.
“Without this evidence-based intervention, many families would likely face separation,” said Department of Children and Families Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer. The expansion will allow the state to reach dozens more families who are facing rising housing costs.
Focus on Maternal Health
The funding also targets substance use during pregnancy, which remains a leading cause of pregnancy-associated deaths in New Jersey.
The Perinatal Centers of Excellence pilot is designed to integrate maternity care, behavioral health treatment, and recovery services in one setting.
“That’s not a statistic we can accept,” said Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown. “This investment ensures mothers don’t have to navigate treatment and pregnancy care in silos.”
The Future
New Jersey is expected to receive more than $1 billion in opioid settlement funds over the next two decades.
State officials say the newest allocation builds on earlier investments that expanded harm reduction centers, mobile units, peer recovery programs, and housing in all 21 counties, with outcomes neatly tracked to ensure accountability.
You can read the state’s Opioid Advisory Council Strategic Plan, which outlines the comprehensive five-year roadmap, here
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