NJ.com, 4/27/2019
By Robert J. Budsock
As the opioid overdose crisis continues to intensify and progress, it is imperative to recognize that while the crisis remains a problem for all populations and communities, the fastest rising rate of opioid deaths in America is in African American communities. The devastating effects of this opioid crisis on black communities cannot continue to go overlooked. People in communities of color must become a prominent part of the meaningful conversations we have about substance use disorder and recovery.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans had the largest surge in opioid overdose deaths among any racial and ethnic group from 2016 to 2017. These individuals are often lifelong heroin users who are overdosing as a result of the lethal fentanyl-laced heroin emerging on the market. As a result, as reported by the CDC, the national rate of fatal drug overdoses has increased more than twice as fast among African Americans as among whites since 2014.
Despite this, the opioid crisis has been widely regarded as a “white problem,” and the effects on both suburban and rural populations have been the focus politically and in the media. As a result, society’s response has been generally more supportive and empathetic than that which communities of color have seen in the past. Case in point: historically, people of color were more likely to face criminal punishment for drug use, especially during the height of the crack epidemic and this is in stark contrast to how we are offering treatment and recovery support today.
Reducing opioid overdose rates requires the development of culturally targeted programs to benefit those in black communities who are coping with an opioid addiction. One such program is the Hope One Mobile Unit, which we’ve recently launched in Newark, modeled after the successful Hope One program in Morris County. Launched by Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, the Hope One Mobile Unit offers addiction recovery, mental health and housing services on the streets of Newark.
The Hope One Mobile Unit, partnered with Integrity House, the Center for Addiction Recovery, Education and Stress (C.A.R.E.S), the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris counties. The Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness provides resources such as Narcan training, distribution of Narcan kits, referrals to detoxification and rehabilitation facilities as well as mental health facilities and even transportation to drug treatment facilities.
The impact of the opioid crisis in our inner city must not go unrecognized. We must ensure that our prevention and recovery messages and programs are reaching all of those affected by the crisis, not just young, white or wealthy individuals. Now is our chance to get it right. We must explore and improve on programs like the Hope One Mobile Unit in Newark that are geared toward black communities. To bring real, meaningful change and to truly combat the ongoing opioid epidemic, we must provide comprehensive, integrated addictions treatment and recovery support to the underserved communities in a manner that brings about positive, long-term lifestyle change.
Robert J. Budsock is president and CEO of Integrity House, one of the largest non-profit providers of substance use disorder treatment in New Jersey.