Virtual Town Hall: Substance Use Disorder Treatment in N.J. During COVID-19 and Beyond
New Jersey’s overdose death rate was 17 percent higher in the first half of 2020 than in the first half of 2019, an undeniable reminder that the opioid epidemic rages on amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and when the two are combined, the effects are even more devastating.
On September 29th, R&J brought together leaders in behavioral health and addiction treatment services from across the state to discuss the pandemic’s impact on substance use disorder treatment. The free, virtual town hall, titled “Substance Use Disorder Treatment in N.J. During COVID-19 and Beyond,” addressed how treatment providers have adapted inpatient, outpatient and telehealth services in response to the pandemic as well as how to address substance use disorder care in the new COVID-19 environment.
Moderator
Lilo Stainton
Award-winning healthcare reporter, NJ Spotlight and NJTV News
Panelists
Kaitlan Baston
MD, MSc, DFASAM Program Director Southern NJ MAT Center of Excellence Division Head, Addiction Medicine Medical Director, Government Relations Cooper University Health Care Assistant Professor of Medicine Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Assemblywoman Joann Downey
Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee and Parliamentarian of the New Jersey General Assembly
Connie Greene
MA, CAS, CSW, CPS, Vice President, RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery
Jerry Joseph
MD, VP of Addiction Medicine for CarePlus NJ
Erin Zerbo
MD, Director of the Northern NJ MAT Center of Excellence; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Robert J. Budsock
President & CEO of Integrity House
Catch this powerful, informative discussion on-demand now by watching a recording of the town hall below:
