NJ S3079

The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services must establish the "Heroin and Opioid Drug Public Education (HOPE) Initiative," a multicultural statewide awareness campaign developed in consultation with the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, and the federal DEA.

The campaign must disseminate information through all media types including print, television, radio, internet, social media, billboards, and non-traditional formats like milk cartons and water bottles, with content available in multiple languages.

Educational messaging must cover pathways to addiction, warning signs, naloxone availability and training, medication-assisted treatment options, treatment financing methods, proper opioid disposal, and the civil/criminal immunity provisions under the Overdose Prevention Act.

The division must conduct annual focus groups and household surveys to gauge campaign effectiveness, with 120 days to implement improvements and 180 days to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature with findings and recommendations.

The division may enter public-private partnerships with pharmaceutical and health insurance companies to facilitate information dissemination.