Our Work
A space for data transparency, education, and awareness related to Paterson, New Jersey’s view of the opioid epidemic.
Announcements, Meetings, and Events
Stay up to date on all COAR activity, upcoming events, and opportunities to partner with our team:
GEOGRAPHIC OUTREACH
COAR's data collection and analysis led to the recognition that 22% of all overdoses occur on only 2% of Paterson’s street segments citywide. So while proactive outreach on this issue may seem overwhelming, if we target our efforts, messages, partners, and resources strategically, we can work to reach the areas and communities most directly impacted by overdose on a regular basis. In the first nine months of operation, the ORT wrote 831 referrals for treatment to 489 individuals. While we will be ever-improving our outreach approach, we are starting to see trust, mutual respect, and relationships building between the ORT and our community.
Since September 13, 2021, the ORT has been performing proactive outreach about MAT, Harm Reduction, and recover options in our target area (known as the "COAR Area"). Here's where you can find the team, get a referral, or just have a conversation:
- Wednesdays with Eva's Recovery Center (10 am to 2 pm) @Broadway and Summer
- Saturdays with City Relief (10 am to 2 pm) @The Good Shepherd (336 Broadway)
In July 2022, COAR expanded the reach of the Passaic County HopeOne Van, which focuses on harm reduction methods, links people to peer recovery support services, and provides Narcan resources and training. The van now visits the COAR area at least to times per week. Find their schedule here.
Individual Outreach
Beginning on June 1, 2022, the COAR team began leveraging data in order to identify and individuals who are at high risk for overdose, as defined by whether they (a) recently overdosed and refused to go to the hospital, and thus were not met bedside with critical information about recovery or support from a peer specialist via the hospital-based Opioid Overdose Response Program (OORP), or (b) recently experienced an overdose and have a significant history of experiencing an overdose in the past.
ORT Social Workers are empowered to reach individuals at any time, in the best way they know how; PD and EMS ORT members join the social workers on Thursdays to lend any additional support needed to achieve a successful connection.
The goal, simply put, is to reach individuals who are at high risk for overdose with better information than they likely have or had received in the past regarding recovery pathways.
Support to St. Joseph’s Health
In June 2022, ORT Social Workers began supporting the St. Joseph's Addiction Medicine Office's new clinical hours for MAT maintenance and ongoing support to patients.
Additionally, in August 2022, the ORT Social Work team will begin having regular hours in the St. Joseph's Emergency Department. This is in an effort to better engage and educate individuals who are proactively seeking MAT support, or who have experienced overdosed. The goal is to ensure that individuals understand all recovery options and services at their disposal, as well as become connected to a trusted ORT Social Worker long-term. Our hope is that those who interact with our team learn that they now have access to consistent, solid resources at Paterson HHS who are ready and able to help them navigate toward and achieve any of the social, health, housing, or recovery supports they may be seeking.