Declaring nothing makes him prouder than his work battling drug addiction in the state, Gov. Chris Christie touted the success Tuesday of a task force he created a year ago to combat addiction and promsied to do more in the future during the rest of his time as governor. Watch video
PATERSON -- Declaring nothing makes him prouder than his work battling drug addiction in the state, Gov. Chris Christie touted the success Tuesday of a task force he created a year ago to combat addiction and promised to do more in the future during the rest of his time as governor.
Christie, speaking at the Barnert Medical Arts Complex in Paterson, said battling drug addiction and the stigma that's associated with its casualties is "the noblest thing" people in positions of power can do, arguing the public needs "to know this is not a moral failing."
Drug addiction is "a mistake in judgment," he added.
The Facing Addiction Task Force developed the Recovery Coaches Program, which provides "immediate response" to people who survived overdoses from opioids. According to the governor's office, the program will receive $1.3 million from the state and will begin serving in regions heavily impacted by addiction and overdose.
RELATED: Christie establishes task force to combat drug addiction
Also, the task force established the Reentry Cooperation Program, helping ex-offenders battling addiction receive support.
"Nothing makes me prouder than this," Christie said. "Nothing is more important to me, personally, than this."
The governor described the importance of removing the stigma from drug addition.
"It is a disease, not a moral failing," he said. "There's no one in this room who hasn't made a mistake, or a bad judgment in their lives"
Christie announced the creation of the task force during a public event in Trenton on Oct. 9, 2014. At the time, he tasked the group with finding ways to reduce the stigma of addiction, provide recommendations for strengthening treatment and developing prevention strategies.
"We need to continue to make change and deal with addiction differently in our state," said Christie when he appeared at the Catholic Charities' Project Free program. "Everyone deserves a second chance of making their lives exactly what they want them be."
Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, the task force's co-chairman, praised Christie for his work with battling drug addiction in the state.
"I humbly believe that no governor is the state has done more to address the scourge of addiction in New Jersey than Gov. Christie," McGreevey said. "I can't thank the governor more profusely."
Other members of the task force included its co-chairman Rev. Joe Carter, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, and Ray Lucas, a former New York Jets quarterback and Addiction Peer Counselor for the PAST Retired Athletes Medical Group.
Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
No comments:
Post a Comment