Hope One Nears 400 Stops In Morris County

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Hope One, Morris County Sheriff's Office mobile addiction resource and recovery program, is nearing its 400th stop, but it has no plans to slow down.

The Hope One van is staffed by a team consisting of a plainclothes Morris County Sheriff’s Officer (usually Corporal Erica Valvano), a mental health advocate and a certified peer recovery specialist from CARES.

Morris County Sheriff spokesperson Peggy Wright told Patch the van travels at least twice a week to high-traffic areas in Morris in county such as soup kitchens, areas known to be frequented by homeless individuals and areas known to have experienced drug overdoses and drug transactions.

During its travel, the van provides coffee, toiletries, hand warmers, scarves, mittens, hats and brochures to people in need of its services.

People visiting the van can also receive free Narcan training and a kit containing one dose of the temporary overdose-reversal drug. The van also provides assistance for people seeking detox and rehab facilities and mental health services.

Hope One was started on April 3, 2017, and it reached its 10,000th contact on New Years Eve of 2019.

Today, it's only four stops away from hitting 400, which Wright said will occur within the next two weeks.

During those almost 400 stops, Hope One has spent 1,802 hours in the community, passed out 451 business cards and 2,200 brochures. It has also:

• Helped 160 people get into rehab and recovery programs
• Assisted 132 with mental health services
• Narcan-trained 2,265 people
• Seen 10,379 people since its inception

Since Hope One began, Wright said, the City of Newark and counties of Burlington, Cape May and Monmouth have started their own Hope One programs. Wright said the sheriff's office has fielded calls from Somerset and Hudson counties and regularly visits colleges in the area to educate people about the opioid crisis and give Narcan training.

"In less than three years since Hope One was launched on April 3, 2017, the teams have made nearly 400 stops in Morris County. The need for support and recovery services by individuals with substance abuse and mental health disorders remains apparent," Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said in a statement. "Our non-judgmental outreach will continue because, in the end, people who are emotionally healthy and not dependent on drugs and alcohol, tend not to commit crimes. This is a program that can reduce recidivism and restore people’s lives."