Prevention Links

NORTHERN NEW JERSEY WORKFORCE SUPPORT PROGRAM: TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT AND RECOVERY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND PARTICIPATE SUCCESSFULLY IN THE WORKFORCE. - THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT AND RECOVERY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND PARTICIPATE SUCCESSFULLY IN THE WORKFORCE. THE TARGET SERVICE AREA FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDES UNION, ESSEX, HUDSON, AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. PREVENTION LINKS WILL PROVIDE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT TO EACH PARTICIPANT UTILIZING THE COPING WITH WORK AND FAMILY STRESS™ EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM. COPING WITH WORK AND FAMILY STRESS™ TEACHES EMPLOYEES BEHAVIORAL, SOCIAL, AND COGNITIVE STRATEGIES TO MODIFY WORK AND FAMILY RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS, GIVEN THE RELATIONSHIP OF THESE FACTORS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND SUBSTANCE USE. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WILL PROVIDE JOB TRAINING, CAREER PLANNING, JOB SEARCH AND PLACEMENT, AND JOB RETENTION SERVICES. JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO WORKFORCE GAPS RESULTING FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE NORTHERN NJ REGION.

THE ONE COMMUNITY ONE FAMILY COALITION

NJ-CARS: BUILDING ECOSYSTEMS OF INTEGRATED RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES - THE GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA OF THE PREVENTION LINKS' (PL) RECOVERY COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM- STATEWIDE NETWORK (RCSP-SN) IS THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. THE PROJECT WILL BE DRIVEN BY PL'S NEW JERSEY COALITION FOR ADDICTION RECOVERY SUPPORT (NJ-CARS), NEW JERSEY'S ONLY STATEWIDE RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS WILL FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES: (1) SPECIALTY AND GENERAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND STAKEHOLDERS AND (2) PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND STAKEHOLDERS. WITH REGARD TO SPECIALTY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, A SPECIFIC EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACE ON TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE TREATMENT PROVIDERS AND HARM REDUCTION PROVIDERS.

SUPPORT FOR OPIOID AFFECTED YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN THE CENTRAL EASTERN NJ REGION

BUILDING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES OF RECOVERY IN HUDSON COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT NJ - PREVENTION LINKS BUILDING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES OF RECOVERY IN HUDSON COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT NJ WILL INCREASE THE CULTURAL-RESPONSIVENESS AND EQUITY OF RECOVERY SUPPORT IN NJ THROUGH BOTH DIRECT RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES AND THROUGH STATE AND COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT. THE BCOR PROJECT SEEKS TO: (1) INCREASE THE PREVALENCE AND QUALITY OF RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO DIVERSE CULTURAL, LINGUISTIC, AND SAFETY NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS; (2) INCREASE COORDINATION BETWEEN AND AMONG KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN DRIVING RECOVERY OUTCOMES; AND (3) INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF GRASSROOTS RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN NJ. PREVENTION LINKS (PL) IS A RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION BASED IN CENTRAL NJ PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF PEER-BASED RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES TO PEOPLE IMPACTED BY ADDICTION AND THEIR LOVED ONES. THROUGH BCOR GRANT FUNDS AWARDED IN 2017, PL LAUNCHED THE NJ COALITION FOR ADDICTION RECOVERY SUPPORT (NJ-CARS), A STATEWIDE RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO INCREASE THE PREVALENCE AND QUALITY OF RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES IN NJ.

NEW JERSEY RECOVERY WORKFORCE SUPPORT (NJRWFS) - PREVENTION LINKS PROPOSES THE NEW JERSEY RECOVERY WORKFORCE SUPPORT (NJRWFS) INITIATIVE TO SERVE 600 ADULTS AGED 18 AND OLDER OVER FIVE YEARS, FOCUSING ON UNION, MIDDLESEX, HUDSON, AND MERCER COUNTIES, A FOUR-COUNTY REGION OF APPROXIMATELY 2.6 MILLION RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. PARTICIPANTS ARE ENGAGED IN TREATMENT, TRANSITIONING FROM TREATMENT, OR ACTIVELY PURSUING LONG-TERM RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS (COD), OFTEN FACING UNEMPLOYMENT, LIMITED EDUCATION, AND HOUSING INSTABILITY. NJRWFS WILL IMPLEMENT AN INTEGRATED RECOVERY-ORIENTED WORKFORCE MODEL COMBINING EVIDENCE-INFORMED PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES (PRSS) WITH THE EVIDENCE-BASED COPING WITH WORK AND FAMILY STRESS (CWFS) CURRICULUM, OFFERING WORKFORCE CASE MANAGEMENT, CREDENTIALING OPPORTUNITIES, AND APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNION COLLEGE OF UNION COUNTY, MAINSTREAM RECOVERY, AND PROTECTING UNDER HARD HATS. MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE PROVIDING SERVICES TO 120 PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY, ACHIEVING IMPROVED RECOVERY CAPITAL FOR AT LEAST 70% OF PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING BARC-10 ASSESSMENTS, 75% OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATIONAL ENROLLMENT WITHIN SIX MONTHS, AND 60% EMPLOYMENT RETENTION OR CAREER ADVANCEMENT AT 12 MONTHS AMONG EMPLOYED PARTICIPANTS.

THE "STAR" PROGRAM'S PURPOSE IS TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE RECOVERY COMMUNITY TO INCREASE THE PREVALENCE AND QUALITY OF LONG-TERM RECOVERY SUPPORTS.

GARDEN STATE RECOVERY NETWORK - THE GARDEN STATE RECOVERY NETWORK (GSRN) IS A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE THAT WILL STRENGTHEN NEW JERSEY'S RECOVERY SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, COORDINATED REFERRALS, RECOVERY HOUSING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND RECOVERY-READY WORKPLACE PARTNERSHIPS. LED BY NJ-CARS UNDER PREVENTION LINKS, GSRN WILL CONNECT ADULTS AND TRANSITION-AGE YOUTH (AGES 16 AND OLDER) LIVING WITH SUD OR COD, PARTICULARLY INDIVIDUALS NOT CONNECTED TO RECOVERY SUPPORTS, THOSE EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY OR UNEMPLOYMENT, JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, VETERANS, AND RESIDENTS OF RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO COMMUNITY-BASED RECOVERY RESOURCES SERVING ALL 21 NEW JERSEY COUNTIES. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE DIRECT PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES TO 150 INDIVIDUALS IN YEAR 1, 175 IN YEAR 2, AND 200 IN YEAR 3 (525 TOTAL), WHILE AN ADDITIONAL 1,500 INDIVIDUALS WILL BENEFIT THROUGH REFERRALS, OUTREACH, AND COORDINATED RECOVERY SUPPORT ACTIVITIES, FOR A TOTAL OF 2,025 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS SERVED OVER THE THREE-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD. PROJECT GOALS ARE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO COORDINATED PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT STATEWIDE; PROVIDE DIRECT PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES; REDUCE TREATMENT CYCLING BY IMPROVING HOUSING STABILITY, EMPLOYMENT, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION; STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF RECOVERY ORGANIZATIONS; AND EXPAND RECOVERY-READY WORKPLACE PARTNERSHIPS.

NEW JERSEY ACCREDITATION, INTEGRATION, & MEDICAID (NJ-AIM): BUILDING SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH ACCREDITATION AND HEALTHCARE INTEGRATION - PREVENTION LINKS, INC., THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY COALITION FOR ADDICTION RECOVERY SUPPORT (NJ-CARS), WILL IMPLEMENT NJ-AIM (NEW JERSEY ACCREDITATION, INTEGRATION, & MEDICAID) TO ESTABLISH A STANDARDIZED RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION (RCO) ACCREDITATION SYSTEM, EXPAND INTEGRATION OF PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES (PRSS) INTO HEALTHCARE SETTINGS, AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE MEDICAID FINANCING PATHWAYS STATEWIDE ACROSS ALL 21 NEW JERSEY COUNTIES, WITH TARGETED EFFORTS IN SIX FEDERALLY DESIGNATED RURAL COUNTIES. THE PROJECT SERVES ADULTS AND YOUTH AGES 14 AND OLDER LIVING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS (COD), INCLUDING THOSE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL AND OPIOID USE DISORDERS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT, AND HOMELESSNESS. NJ-AIM WILL ESTABLISH NEW JERSEY'S FIRST STATEWIDE RCO ACCREDITATION SYSTEM, DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED MEDICAID BILLING CODEBOOK, AND PROVIDE TRAINING TO INCREASE INTEGRATION OF CERTIFIED PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS INTO FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS (FQHCS) AND CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS (CCBHCS). OBJECTIVES INCLUDE ACCREDITING AT LEAST 18 RCOS BY PROJECT END, TRAINING AT LEAST 150 PEER SPECIALISTS AND ADMINISTRATORS ANNUALLY, DELIVERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO AT LEAST SIX HOSPITALS AND TEN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS ANNUALLY, AND ESTABLISHING AT LEAST TEN NEW HEALTHCARE AND RECOVERY PARTNERSHIPS EACH YEAR.

THE ONE COMMUNITY ONE FAMILY COALITION

THE ONE COMMUNITY ONE FAMILY COALITION WILL PREVENT YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE THROUGH COLLABORATION, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES AIMED AT THE REDUCTION OF MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL USE.

THE STAR PROGRAMS PURPOSE IS TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE RECOVERY

STOP UNDERAGE DRINKING IN UNION COUNTY: OUR CALL TO ACTION

THROUGH THE STOP ACT GRANT PREVENTION LINKS PROPOSES TO EXPAND OUR YOUTH GROUP INITIATIVE BY CONTINUING TO PROVIDING THE EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAM, LEAD AND SEED.

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM

ONE COMMUNITY ONE FAMILY (OCOF) COALITION: PREVENTION COALITION YOUTH IN ELIZABETHPORT - PREVENTION LINKS (PL), SERVING AS THE FISCAL AGENT FOR THE ONE COMMUNITY ONE FAMILY COALITION (OCOF), PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-LEVEL PREVENTION INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS YOUTH OPIOID EXPOSURE AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE IN THE ELIZABETHPORT NEIGHBORHOOD OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY. ELIZABETHPORT IS A HISTORIC WATERFRONT NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN UNION COUNTY THAT EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANT SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY HIGH RATES OF SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT ADMISSIONS, OVERDOSE DEATHS, AND OPIOID-RELATED HARMS. LOCAL COALITION ASSESSMENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE, MEDICATION AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS, AND LOW PERCEPTION OF RISK AS ONGOING CONCERNS AMONG YOUTH. THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE WILL BUILD UPON OCOF’S NEARLY TEN YEARS OF DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES (DFC) FUNDING AND ESTABLISHED COALITION INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS EMERGING OPIOID-RELATED THREATS, INCLUDING COUNTERFEIT PILLS, FENTANYL EXPOSURE, AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE AMONG ADOLESCENTS AGES 12-17. GUIDED BY THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK (SPF) AND THE SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE, OCOF WILL IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT ENGAGE YOUTH, PARENTS, SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PHARMACIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE COALITION CAPACITY BUILDING, YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, OPIOID AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION, YOUTH-LED AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, COMMUNITY FORUMS, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPIOIDS AND ATHLETES PROGRAM, DELIVERY OF THE WE’RE NOT BUYING IT! 2.0 CURRICULUM, PROMOTION OF SAFE MEDICATION STORAGE AND DISPOSAL PRACTICES, DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICATION SAFETY RESOURCES, STRENGTHENING REFERRAL PATHWAYS AMONG COMMUNITY SYSTEMS, ENGAGEMENT OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND PHARMACIES, AND EFFORTS TO PROMOTE OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND MEDICATION SAFETY POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS. THE INITIATIVE SEEKS TO REDUCE YOUTH OPIOID EXPOSURE AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE BY ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, COMMUNITY NORMS, ACCESS FACTORS, AND SYSTEMS-LEVEL BARRIERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUBSTANCE USE RISK. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED YOUTH PERCEPTION OF RISK ASSOCIATED WITH PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE AND OPIOID USE, IMPROVED MEDICATION SAFETY PRACTICES, STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, INCREASED ACCESS TO PREVENTION RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES, ENHANCED REFERRAL PATHWAYS, AND GREATER ADOPTION OF PREVENTION-FOCUSED POLICIES AND PRACTICES. LONG-TERM OUTCOMES INCLUDE REDUCTIONS IN YOUTH PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE AND OPIOID EXPOSURE, STRENGTHENED PROTECTIVE FACTORS, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY-LEVEL PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LASTING CHANGES IN THE CULTURE AND CONTEXT SURROUNDING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION MISUSE. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, OCOF WILL LEVERAGE ITS LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND PREVENTION EXPERTISE TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE AND PROTECT ELIZABETHPORT YOUTH FROM OPIOID-RELATED HARMS.