New Jersey to Direct $130.7 Million in Opioid Settlement Funds Toward Harm Reduction and Family Support

NEW JERSEY - Governor Phil Murphy has announced a new allocation of $130.7 million from New Jersey’s share of national opioid settlements, aimed at expanding harm reduction services and providing direct support to families and communities affected by substance use disorder.

The funding, unveiled this week, is part of the state’s broader strategy to address the opioid epidemic through prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives. It will be distributed as follows:

• $118.7 million over five and a half years to expand the network of Harm Reduction Centers across New Jersey.

• $12 million over three years in direct grants to family- and community-based organizations supporting loved ones of individuals struggling with addiction.

The investment builds on recommendations from the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Advisory Council, which released a five-year strategic plan earlier this year emphasizing housing, harm reduction, treatment, and wraparound services as priority areas.

“Often, the loved ones of individuals struggling with addiction are left to cope in silence, navigating uncertainty and stigma with little support,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman, who chairs the New Jersey Opioid Recovery and Remediation Advisory Council. “This funding sustains investments in evidence-based harm reduction and recognizes the vital role families play not only in healing but in prevention and recovery. We are making a deliberate investment in the organizations that provide a lifeline: support groups, counseling, peer networks, and grief services. These community-rooted efforts are the backbone of long-term recovery and the heart of our response to this epidemic."

Expansion of Harm Reduction Centers

The bulk of the funding—$118.7 million—will go toward scaling up harm reduction infrastructure, including fixed locations, mobile outreach units, and integration with health care providers. Harm Reduction Centers provide access to naloxone, sterile syringes, safe disposal options, medications for opioid use disorder, and connections to health care and social services.

Since mid-2023 reforms streamlined the approval process, the number of designated harm reduction sites in New Jersey has grown from seven to 55, with 45 currently operating and another 10 expected to open soon. With the new funding, the state’s total settlement investment in harm reduction expansion will rise to $144.7 million, representing the largest such investment in state history.

Support for Families and Communities

An additional $12 million will fund grants for small, community-based nonprofits and businesses providing support to families affected by addiction. These grants—ranging from $100,000 to $150,000—will enable organizations to run programs such as bereavement groups, prevention education, and harm reduction support services. Officials described this as a “first-of-its-kind” state investment targeting hyper-local, family-centered responses to the opioid crisis.

Broader Settlement Context

New Jersey, along with its counties and municipalities, is expected to receive more than $1 billion in settlement payments from opioid manufacturers and distributors over the next 20 years. This latest round of allocations follows earlier announcements of over $130 million in settlement spending to strengthen prevention, treatment, and recovery services statewide.

The Murphy administration emphasized that the new funding represents a continuation of the state’s comprehensive approach to combat the opioid epidemic, prioritizing life-saving services and family-centered support while reinforcing New Jersey’s role as a national leader in harm reduction strategies.

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