Proposal on Health Care Access Improvement

The rate of opioid usage in the state has increased since 2015, where providers prescribed 55. 0 opioid prescriptions per 100 persons. In the same year, the average usage of opioid in the country was 70 per 100 persons. An opioid is a pain relieving medication prescribed by a doctor to treat moderate to severe pain due to trauma, stress, surgery or pain-inducing health condition. The side effects are tolerance and physical dependence which may lead to overdose, addiction, and drug abuse. Different strategies have been set up over the years with the changing political climate in the country which at times has threatened to reduce the efforts to tackle the problem. Such policies include plans to repeal affordable care act and slash its funding which may lead to many who need costly addiction rehabilitation losing their healthcare insurance coverage.

This research paper analyzes Gov. Phil Murphy proposal to increase opioid spending in the state budget in a move to help people access addiction treatment and rehabilitation easily. Funds are to be cut from public service announcements and be spent towards solving the opioid crisis in the state. Proper data management, better pain treatment, more addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services, more overdose reversers, and better research. These strategies aim at helping consumers make better choices for the sake of their health and help states to build capacity for drug abuse combatting. New Jersey governor intends to use $56 million in the $100 million that is to be allotted, expand treatment access and maintain the existing programs including linking addicts to treatment programs and training workforce and families (State of New Jersey, 2017).

The number of people dying due to addiction and overdose keeps increasing in New Jersey. A portion of this fund will be used to create a coordinated approach that involves improved access to community health care, outpatient programs and have timely treatment together with recovery peer coach services. This program also focuses on the provision of housing to addicts and employment to vulnerable families. Funding is divided into $12 million for housing for high-risk families, $5 million for housing individuals and the remaining for employment training and support. Governor Chris Christie, Phil’s predecessor, had vowed to fight the crisis in New Jersey, committing almost 200 million as additional funds for the establishment of programs that would help tackle the state’s opioid and substance abuse disorder.

Funds had been dispatched to the division of mental health and addiction services to facilitate initiatives that help tackle the problem. These programs include Incentive-Based Opioid Recovery Pilot Program, Maternal Wrap-Around, Recovery Coach Program, Supportive Housing, On-Campus Recovery Programs, Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral To Treatment, Consumer Helpline. Policies that have been proposed to help combat the problem. Prevention, treatment and recovery, infrastructure and data and focusing on social risk factors will help tackle the opioid crisis in New Jersey effectively. References Murphy Wants New Opioid Spending but Not for Commercials. Retrieved from https://www. usnews. Ending the Opioid Crisis: A Practical Guide for State Policymakers. Retrieved from https://www. centeronaddiction. org/sites/default/files/Ending%20the%20Opioid%20Crisis_A%20Practical%20Guide%20for%20State%20Policymakers_The%20National%20Center%20on%20Addiction%20and%20Substance%20Abuse_October%202017_0.