Ocean County has a 10.1% uninsured rate. Of the 2022 Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions, 12% of Ocean County residents were uninsured, and 73% had Medicaid.  We need Medicaid to end the overdose crisis.

Ocean County In 2023, Ocean County had 168 overdose deaths According to the CDC, there were 149 provisional overdose deaths in Ocean County between September 2023 – September 2024

Judy Deblois – Manahawkin, New Jersey 08050

My name is Judy Deblois and I have been a cardiac nurse since 1985. I lost my husband to Substance Use in 2010 to cardiac arrest at the age of 54. Not long after this, my son Ben started to suffer from Substance Use and my daughter Thea was suffering from an eating disorder.

I was lucky enough to have great insurance and after the loss of my husband was able to provide for my family. I was diagnosed with MS in 1996 and worked full-time in a cardiac lab until 2016.

I lost my job and health insurance due to the progression of my disease in 2013 and I did everything I could think of to get health insurance for my family. I sold my home in Mullica Hill and moved to Ocean Acres.

I was being helped by the Department of Vocational Rehab and they mentioned that they were starting Coastal Volunteers in Medicine and I was instrumental in starting that program here in Ocean County and still volunteer to this day. I was on COBRA until I couldn’t afford it anymore but thank god I was able to get Obamacare.

My son Ben’s disease was also progressing and he overdosed 4 times. I knew if I didn’t do something, he would die. I was able to get him on Medicaid with the help of Coastal Volunteers in Medicine. Once he got Medicaid we were able to get him into a treatment center. My son is alive today and is able to be a father to his five year old daughter because he had Medicaid. He now works a Union job and has private insurance. I think there is a common misconception that people on Medicaid are lazy and just want Government handouts. Life has its ups and downs and no one expects to be out of a job due to an illness or death in the family. Medicaid helped save my son’s life and set him up to be a productive member of society.

Need help or services? Check out opens in a new windowSea Change Recovery Coalition!