United States Department of Health and Human Services Official Visits Morris County Sheriff's Office Hope One Unit

Published on October 22, 2019

United States Department of Health and Human Services Regional Executive Officer Dennis Gonzalez on Monday, October 21, visited the Morris County Sheriff's Office Hope One mobile substance use resource and recovery unit while promoting National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 26.

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon discusses the opioid epidemic with Dennis Gonzalez, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Executive Officer by Hope One on October 21, 2019.

Mr. Gonzalez, Public Affairs Specialist Sean Hightower, and Matt Birchenough, Director of Special Events for the Partnership For A Drug-Free New Jersey, met Sheriff James M. Gannon and his Hope One team that was on the Morristown Green as part of a twice-weekly schedule of bringing critical recovery services directly to people.

Mr. Gonzalez was in Morristown to promote National Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 26, when people can drop off expired and unused prescription medications at multiple locations, including at least 13 in Morris County between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mr. Gonzalez said medicine cabinets containing unused opioid prescription drugs can tempt people into experimenting or trying a few, which can easily lead to addiction and a quest on the street for cheaper drugs like heroin.

From left, Morris County Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano, Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris Director of Self Help, Advocacy and Education Madine Despeine-Udoh, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Executive Officer Dennis Gonzalez and Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon.

Mr. Gonzalez met the Hope One team “ Morris County Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano, CARES Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Kelly LaBar and Madine Despeine-Udoh, Director of Self-Help, Advocacy and Education for the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris “ while Sheriff Gannon detailed Hope One's impressive statistics since its launch on April 3, 2017.

Hope One was joined on the Morristown Green by the Navigating Hope vehicle, a mobile unit modeled after Hope One that assists community members with accessing social services, including Food Stamps, housing, utility and temporary assistance, healthcare and Medicaid. Navigating Hope is run by the Morris County Office of Temporary Assistance in partnership with the non-profit Family Promise of Morris County.

Hope One is an outstanding program, very innovative and creative. Congratulations to the Sheriff for having the vision to bring this to Morris County. It's great the Sheriff is so proactive in a county where you wouldn't think addiction would be happening, said Mr. Gonzalez, who oversees HHS Region 2 that encompasses New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

For the Executive Officer of the federal Department of Health and Human Services to visit Hope One and meet people struggling with substance use disorders, that shows true concern and a commitment to end the grip of addiction that opioids and heroin have on so many people, Sheriff Gannon said.

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano and Dennis Gonzalez, United States Department of Health and Human Services Regional Executive Officer on Hope One.

Hope One has had contact with 9,389 individuals since its launch, and trained 2,057 people in how to administer Narcan to reverse an opioid-induced overdose. The staff have arranged for 152 people to receive recovery or rehab services and another 114 people have been connected to mental health services.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is one of multiple federal, state, county and local programs to curb the opioid and heroin epidemic. It's a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. In Morris County, it supplements Prescription Drug Drop-Off boxes that many police departments have on-site.

The National Take Back Day in April 2019 brought in 937,443 pounds “ nearly 469 tons “ of unused or expired prescription medications.

Hope One and Morris County Sheriff's Office Detective Michael Vanarelli will spend National Take Back Day outside the Walmart at 40 International Drive South in Flanders, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office also will have detectives at various locations.

Other participating law enforcement agencies and locations include:

Chatham Borough Police Department, CVS Pharmacy, 471 Main St., Chatham
Parsippany Police Department, 3035-3189 U.S. Route 46, Parsippany
Chatham Township Police Department, CVS Pharmacy, 641 Shunpike Road, Chatham Township.
Boonton Police Department, Walmart, 300 Wootton Street, Boonton.
Harding Police Department, 21 Blue Mill Road, Morristown.
Hanover Police Department, ShopRite, 178 E. Hanover Ave., Cedar Knolls
Morris Plains Police Department, Stop & Shop, 245 Littleton Road, Morris Plains
Rockaway Borough Police Department, Community Center, 21 Union St., Rockaway
Mendham Township Police Department, 3 Cherry Lane, Mendham.
Randolph Police Department, Randolph Acme, 690 Millbrook Ave., Randolph
Picatinny Arsenal Police Department, 173 Buffington Road, Dover.
Jefferson Police Department, 1033 Weldon Road, Lake Hopatcong.