Morris Leader

Morris County marked the eighth anniversary of Hope One, a mobile outreach program designed to combat the opioid epidemic. The event took place at County College of Morris (CCM) and was attended by Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen, Sheriff James M. Gannon, Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, CCM President Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, and nearly 200 law enforcement officers, first responders, and community partners from across New Jersey.

The symposium aimed to share ideas and best practices for addressing drug addiction and substance abuse in the community. It also highlighted milestones achieved by Hope One and the Hope Hub initiative, which has intervened in over 650 crisis situations since its inception four years ago.

Director Selen expressed his honor in celebrating eight years of Hope One: "Hope One thrives because of partnerships, and we remain committed to building on its success." He noted that Morris County Commissioners have approved nearly $4 million in grant-in-aid funding for 76 human services programs throughout the county in 2025.

Det. Sgt. First Class Brian J. Kruzel reported a significant decrease in fatal drug overdoses statewide due to increased Naloxone deployment and expanded access to treatment—efforts supported by initiatives like Hope One.

Sheriff Gannon emphasized the importance of focusing on at-risk populations: “There is no secret that across America and beyond, this opioid epidemic was happening... We need to focus on the at-risk population... That’s it; it’s not complicated.”

Hope One's mobile outreach model provides critical support directly within communities affected by addiction. The team offers free Naloxone education, training, and kits through a partnership with various organizations including the Morris County Department of Human Services.

Prosecutor Carroll acknowledged ongoing challenges but highlighted improvements due to unified programs such as Hope One: “When it comes to drug addiction and mental health crises... It’s looking up because of the success of unified programs such as Hope One.”

The ARRIVE Together program launched by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office pairs mental health counselors with police on certain emergency calls to de-escalate situations involving individuals in crisis.

Additionally, several individuals were honored for their contributions during the event including Bob Davison from MHA; Madine Despeine-Udoh; Al Shurdom; Sean Abline who received the Recovery Recognition Award; Dr. Nicole Thomas; Samantha Nevilleand Vito Andrisani from Passaic County Human Services.

The expansion of Hope One beyond Morris County was celebrated as ten other New Jersey counties have launched similar mobile outreach programs based on this initiative.

For more information about Hope One visit the Official Website of Morris County N.J.