Prevention Resource Network, based in Asbury Park, now has a mobile Harm Reduction Center officially active and delivering services to towns in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

The Network's aim is to provide a safe, non-stigmatizing space for people who use substances.

It also offers a variety of services and helps coordinate treatment options for those seeking help with addiction from its office in Asbury Park.

But now it can extend its reach to other parts of the Monmouth-Ocean community, its leadership says.

The New Jersey Department of Health approved the mobile unit - the first approval for a harm reduction site in the state in five years - on Aug. 31 to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day, officials say.

"The rollout of the mobile unit represents a transformation not only in the perception toward those affected by substance use but also in how we support and empower them,” said Cole Zaccaro, manager of Harm Reduction Services at the Prevention Resource Network. “We have already recognized a profound impact on the individual lives and on the overall fabric of our communities.”

The new mobile unit operates not only in Asbury Park but now in Red Bank, Eatontown, Keansburg, Keyport and Long Branch in Monmouth County and in Brick and Toms River in Ocean County.

"This initiative represents a significant step towards compassionate, effective support and enhanced quality of life for individuals living with drug-related challenges,” said Shannon Preston, director of HIV Community Services at VNA Health Group.

The Network's new harm reduction mobile unit enables people who use substances to safely access naloxone, sterile syringes, and other safer-use supplies.

The mobile unit also assists in the responsible disposal of used syringes and offers access and guidance to obtain substance use disorder treatment, healthcare, and support for essential needs, officials say.

Here's when the mobile unit will be in your town in Monmouth County:

• Long Branch: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Asbury Park: Wednesdays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Keansburg: Thursdays, 10 a.m. to noon
• Keyport: Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Red Bank: Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon
• Eatontown: Fridays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

In Ocean County:

• Brick: Mondays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Toms River: Tuesdays: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The location spots vary, so the best way to access services is to visit @vnahrc on Instagram, where the program posts real-time updates on the van's location and availability. Here's the link to that Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/vnahrc/.

A growing problem

Nationally, drug overdoses have taken the lives of more than 932,000 individuals in the past 21 years.

And the annual mortality rate is on an upward trend, with over 100,000 reported cases in 2022 (per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In 2022, 3,000 individuals in New Jersey fell victim to overdose, Prevention Resource Network says.

VNA programs

The Network's Harm Reduction Center is a program of VNA’s Children & Family Health Institute and the VNA of Central Jersey.

The program provides various services to those not yet ready or willing to participate in substance abuse treatment, including overdose prevention and naloxone distribution, syringe access, wound care, and linkages to low-threshold treatment.

The Harm Reduction Center aims to keep people safe and minimize death and injury from high-risk behavior.

From pediatric home care and early intervention programs to prenatal care, primary care, and dental health, the Children and Family Health Institute at Visiting Nurse Association Health Group supports people of all ages with over 20 programs and services.

Last Updated: 12/13/23