ReachNJ.gov Addiction Taskforce: Helpline 844 744 6325
Warning Signs · Overdose Immunity Law · Support Groups · Help With: Prescription Drugs · Alcohol · Teens
Source: NJ 101.5
According to Maggie Moran, a managing partner of Kivvit, a national communications data-driven public affairs firm, before the Reach NJ radio, TV and print campaign began, there were 921 calls made to the state’s addiction helpline. That number increased by 159 percent, to 2,385 contacts.
Moran also said that in March there were about a thousand visits to the Reach NJ website, but that number changed dramatically once the Reach NJ campaign began. “When we started to do the advertising, we’ve seen 57,000 unique visits to the website,” she said.
There were more than 1,187,000 online engagements, which means “an observer of the content either liked it, reposted it, shared it or commented on it, so they’re interacting with the content.”
She said people are looking for resources to help those who need them, for information on how the average New Jerseyan can help stop the epidemic and for signs of addiction, “so the Reach NJ campaign has really elevated the issue quite dramatically.”
Angelo Valente, the executive director of the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey agrees. “It’s extremely encouraging when people are seeking help and identifying the problem that exists maybe within their home or within their community. What it’s doing is really breaking down the walls of stigma that this disease has had for so long,” he said.
“I think that we’re talking about a more long term picture as far as seeing great success, and I believe we will have great success in slowing down and eventually ending this epidemic,” he added.