By Victoria Ford
Fentanyl Awareness Day was April 29, so canvassers from opens in a new windowSea Change Recovery Community Organization and Harm Reduction Center have been knocking on doors in Little Egg Harbor to offer free overdose education and prevention resources to residents. Sea Change is a Southern Ocean County nonprofit working to reduce overdose numbers locally and statewide.
Compared to other counties in New Jersey, Ocean County has experienced an unprecedented number of overdose deaths within the past several years. The most recent data from the opens in a new windowNew Jersey Coordinator for Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES) shows in 2023 Ocean County had 168 suspected overdose deaths and 677 naloxone administrations. Naloxone is often referred to by the brand name Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal drug.
Funded through the New Jersey Department of Health, Sea Change programming includes recovery support, harm reduction, one-on-one peer support, recovery events and activities, daily support groups, care management and community education.
The RCO’s door-to-door efforts to meet and connect with Little Egg residents help to spread awareness about drug overdose prevention and to equip people with tools to aid in substance use struggles. The canvass provides lifesaving resources and connects community members with local public health resources and other community referrals and works to combat the stigma associated with substance use challenges.
As the first canvass of its kind for Ocean County, the project draws upon its partnership with the New Jersey Resource Project, a community expert in canvassing.
The canvass team is comprised of a group of Little Egg Harbor residents, accompanied by Sea Change recovery coaches who are also trained harm reduction specialists. The team will provide interested households with free harm reduction education and supplies, including free naloxone and drug testing kits.
“This project is a great example of National Opioids Settlement dollars at work and positively impacting the community,” according to Sea Change Founding Executive Director Elizabeth Burke Beaty. The National Opioids Settlements of 2021 and 2022 put tens of billions of dollars from lawsuits against drug makers and purveyors in the hands of states and localities, spread over 18 years, to implement preventive and treatment measures. Beaty continued, “Rural communities, such as Ocean County, face numerous challenges in addressing the opioid epidemic and other substance use disorders. Compared to urban areas, the resources available for education, prevention, treatment and recovery are often limited in rural communities like ours. Stigma is another significant issue. It can contribute to isolation and increased substance use, which often prevents people from seeking the treatment and support they need. We are meeting people face to face to show we care deeply, we are here, and we will not judge anyone who may be afraid or unable to ask for help.”
Sea Change canvasser Noah Fisk said, “Many of our neighbors have witnessed the overdose crisis firsthand or know someone affected. I wanted to get involved in this first-of-its-kind project to help prevent these tragedies in our county. At the doors, residents seem to really sympathize with the cause and recognize the benefits of harm reduction for our entire community. It’s satisfying to be part of the solution.”
Renee Rithianos, a peer recovery support specialist at Sea Change and a person in long-term recovery, said enough already.
“As a resident of Little Egg Harbor for 40 years, I’ve seen our law enforcement and first responders on the front lines of this crisis for far too long, and I have witnessed the devastating effects. I take a lot of pride in being a part of a town that is supporting this practical lifesaving approach that helps ensure our neighbors receive the education and support they deserve. I cherish our community and am grateful to Chief Hawkins and the Little Egg Harbor Police Department for being great community partners. I truly hope other local towns will follow their example. Think of all the lives we can save and change.”
Sea Change works to end drug-related overdose deaths through education, harm reduction services, peer recovery support and public awareness. In 2024, the organization distributed over 825 naloxone kits and provided peer recovery services to more than 80 residents in Ocean County.
Anyone who wants education and free naloxone or drug testing strips can contact Sea Change directly at opens in a new windowhello@SeaChangeRCO.orgcreate new email or visit either of its two locations, at 1064 South Main St. in West Creek and at 1 Cedar St. in Barnegat.