Vote To End The Overdose Crisis

In 2023, we knocked on doors across Monmouth County to ask our neighbors to vote to end the overdose crisis. We asked them to join us in voting for New Jersey State Senator Gopal, whose stance on ending overdose in our state is aligned with NJOP’s own vision and values.

We appreciate Senator Gopal and his staff’s accessibility and availability to constituents when it comes to this issue. They respond to meeting requests and questions, and get on the phone with us and allies when we ask for a meeting about issues that matter to our communities.

In his own words:

“Access to quality affordable care is one of my top priorities. I have worked to expand telehealth – the pandemic demonstrated that when telehealth is available, patients are more likely to utilize and follow through on the care they need. Additionally, I have sponsored legislation to make special education services in schools available to individuals with substance abuse disorder and to require health insurance carriers provide coverage for the treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorders through collaborative care.”

We appreciate his leadership on multiple solutions to end the overdose crisis, including sponsoring legislation that goes after body brokers (people who give and get kickbacks to lure folks to bad rehabs).

He also cosponsored legislation in 2021 to expand easy access to naloxone and voted to pass into law legislation that allows paramedics to administer Medication Assisted Treatment. You can read more about these laws here.

Over the years we have collaborated, Senator Gopal has voted with us on all key pieces of legislation – including cosponsoring our legislation to extend forbearance protection for Sandy Families. We appreciate his work to strategize and elevate clawback forgiveness at the state level.