NEW JERSEY PASSES SWEEPING REENTRY LEGISLATION

To Stop the Revolving Door of Recidivism, Strengthen Families and Cut Costs to Taxpayers

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Legislature passed a historic package of bills – with broad bipartisan support – that will stop the revolving door of recidivism, strengthen families and cut costs to taxpayers by preparing incarcerated individuals for work and removing barriers to work after they are released from prison. The bills have been sent to Governor Corzine for his signature into law.

The sponsor of the three bills (A4197/S1347, A4202/S11, and A4201/S502), Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer), partnered with the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and its Second Chance Campaign of New Jersey to convene a year-long series of ‘Counting the Costs’ public hearings to create the legislation, which The New York Times called, “a model for the rest of the nation.” The Institute has been the state leader on these issues since 2002, when it convened the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable, which provided policymakers and practitioners with a comprehensive blueprint of reforms designed to enhance public safety and save taxpayer dollars.

“After a certain point, the public can’t sustain throwing money at a problem and failing all the while talking about being tough on crime,” says Cornell William Brooks, Executive Director of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. “The best way to be tough on crime is to reduce it – this historic legislation is tough on crime because it will do just that: reduce it. We do not have lives or tax dollars to waste. Equipping ex-offenders to become responsible citizens, productive workers, and taxpayers means not only safety but savings.”

“Those who violate our laws will still serve their time – that will not change under these new laws,” says Assembly Majority Leader Watson Coleman. “But the way they serve prison time will change as they will be prepared to reenter society as productive citizens, which will save lives and taxpayer dollars.” Highlights of the bill provisions include:

Strengthening Women and Families Act (A4197/S1347)

• Lifts the ban on food stamps and TANF benefits for individuals with felony drug convictions who have dependent children, which will leverage federal funding, saving state dollars, to support families as well as provide federal dollars to support treatment to keep addicts off drugs, away from crime, and from returning to prison.

• Establishes a commission to strengthen bonds between incarcerated parents and their children.

• Encourages incarcerated individuals to be placed in facilities as close as possible to family.

Education and Rehabilitation Act (A4202/S11)

• Requires the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) to ensure that incarcerated individuals attain the 12th-grade education proficiency level.

• Reviews vocational programs in order to meet demand job skills and standards.

• Places all incarcerated individuals with less than two years before release in community corrections.

Reduction of Recidivism Act (A4201/S502)

• Provides individuals leaving prison with written notification of fines, outstanding warrants, voting rights, and expungement options; a government-issued ID card; birth certificate; a list of prison programs participated in; medical records; Social Security card; medication; a one-day bus or rail pass; and a rap sheet.

• Eliminates the post-release Medicaid enrollment gap.

• Requires the NJDOC to report to the Governor and Legislature on the results of recidivism-reducing measures.

Read News Stories:

N.J. Legislature approves welfare benefits, job training for ex-offenders

By Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau

January 11, 2010, 6:44PM

TRENTON -- Lawmakers approved today three bills aimed at reducing the number of former inmates returning to prison. The legislation (A4202 and A4197) would allow ex-offenders to receive welfare benefits and require most inmates to receive job training and high school educations while behind bars. The third bill (A4201) would ensure inmates receive copies of personal documents like birth certificates upon release.

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N.J. job training programs reduce risk of relapse, ex-inmate says

By Sharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger

January 10, 2010, 5:05PM

TRENTON -- Arthur Townes robbed people to feed his drug habit and landed in prison as a result. While incarcerated, he received counseling and job training that helped him turn his life around. Now Townes and other ex-inmates are encouraging the state Legislature to approve a package of bills tomorrow that would create and expand similar counseling and job training programs to help others and reduce the recidivism rate. See Arthur Townes in Voices of Hope Productions Video on reentry.

VOICES OF HOPE VIDEO: REVOLVING DOOR OF INCARCERATION

This video by Voices of Hope Productions illustrates the difficulties many ex-prisoners encounter after paying their debt to society and release from prison. Incarcerating nonviolent drug offenders in New Jersey prisons to the tune of $39,000/inmate per year is not making our communities safer. The film also addresses several unfair and unjust practices that make it impossible for ex-prisoners to become productive citizens causing a revolving door of incarceration. We cannot simply continue to do nothing.





Watch the video and become informed on the simple math and compelling logic of proposed legislation that will cost virtually nothing, yet will create millions of dollars of savings to New Jersey taxpayers. Additionally, they will also provide equitable solutions to the recidivism problem in our state.

We need your help now to ensure that the prisoner reentry reform bills pass in this legislative session. After watching the film, please contact your Senators to support the following six bills, which will enhance our public safety and save our taxpayer dollars: S11, S12, S13, S502, S531, and S1347.

Please take a short survey after viewing the film as it would be greatly appreciated.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR PRISONER RE-ENTRY REFORM IN NJ

To: The Governor of NJ, The NJ State Senate and The NJ State House

A sweeping bill package sponsored by six Assembly Democratic legislators, lead by Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, to improve rehabilitation in New Jersey prisons and to save taxpayer dollars by cutting recidivism and giving released inmates an improved chance of success was advanced Monday November 22, 2009 by an NJ Assembly panel. Make sure that needed criminal justice policy changes take place under this administration!

Show NJ Legislators the support for YOUR Public Safety and Prisoner Reentry Bills:

A4197 – Strengthening Women and Families Act
A4198 – Post-Release Employment Act
A4199 – Administration of Correctional Facilities Act
A4201 – Reduction of Recidivism Act
A4202 – Education and Rehabilitation Act
A4203 – Criminal Penalties Act

or, Start a Petition

Change.org

ART HEALS: TAKE A WALK IN MY SHOES

A traveling exhibit by clients at 180 - TURNING LIVES AROUND, INC.

180 Turning Lives Around is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence in our community. The shoes represent each clients journey. The process of creating these shoes has touched many women, men, and children. Telling their story of abuse is one of the first “steps” in healing from the devastating effects of domestic violence. Art provides a safe and non-threatening way for survivors to speak out and release the pain that has been part of their lives. These shoes are their way to break this silence and share their story with you in a safe and confidential way.

The hope is that the powerful messages in this exhibit raise awareness of the affects of domestic violence and abuse within our community.

The SHOES will arrive at CARLA GIZZI on DECEMBER 3rd with a WINE AND CHEESE RECEPTION. All are welcomed, please bring a friend. The exhibit will be on display till December 10th. A portion of all sales at Carla Gizzi will be donated to 180....so SHOP FOR THE CAUSE!!

LOOKING FOR EXTRA HOLIDAY CASH?? Do you have any old or outdated jewelry just taking up space in your jewelry box? Earth Treasures will be present to buy your old Gold and Silver jewelry at its weight value and you will be paid CASH ON THE SPOT! Earth Treasures will also donate a portion of each transaction to 180.

Don't miss it!!!

Step Up—Help create awareness for domestic violence in Monmouth County.

Step Out —Visit this powerful exhibit.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 3rd.

Carla Gizzi - Jewelry & Home Decor

169 West Front Street ~ Red Bank NJ 07701

732-450-0122

NOVEMBER 20: PUBLIC SAFETY & RE-ENTRY PANEL DISCUSSION

~Frank Talk Panel Discussion Series~
Arrested Development: Prison vs. Education, Who’s Footing the Bill?

Friday, November 20th @ 7:00 p.m.
FRANK TALK ART, BISTRO & BOOKS
163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ

• 95% of those incarcerated will be released

• $1.2 billion/yr. on corrections with a 67% re-arrested within 3 years of release (costing $39k/inmate)

• People of color comprise just 28% of the population but account for 83% of the prison population

• The average person in NJ prisons functions at grade 6th reading level and grade 5th math level; only 2% of corrections budget is spent on educational programming

• NJ ranked 44/50 US States in a national report card for the number of barriers to successful reentry/reintegration

• 50% are nonviolent and New Jersey has the highest proportion of nonviolent drug offenders in the nation

Such alarming statistics should be enough to arouse your interest.
This is a very important topic in righting societal ills. Learn about how you can help support legislation that is being put forth to aid in the re-entry process for inmates. A coalition to reform our prison system starts here. Short film to be screened with community discussion to follow.

PANELISTS:

• NJ State Senator Jennifer Beck, District 12, Judiciary Committee
• Vincent Baker, Owner, Jennies Restaurant
• Lori Ersolmaz, President, Voices of Hope Productions











WHERE: FRANK TALK ART BISTRO & BOOKS
Friday, November 20th @ 7:00 p.m.
163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ
Where art, culture and good conversation are always on the menu

Snacks and refreshments to be served

Call (201) 320-4920 or email lorihope732@gmail.com to get more information and to RESERVE YOUR SEAT

Sponsors: Frank Talk Art, Bistro and Books and Voices of Hope Productions

Illustrations by: Todd Hyung-Rae Tarselli

RE-ENTRY LEGISLATION

After years of work, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman has put together a comprehensive package of bills, which reflects the tremendous outpouring of information, experience, expertise, and recommendations that were made by citizens across the state at the “Counting the Costs” public hearings.

These bills simply cannot make it through both houses of the Legislature without your help! To ensure that the bills get passed, you need to take action now by doing two simple and immediate things:

1) The legislative leadership needs to hear from you directly. They will be the first to see these bills and so it is critical for them to know the level of strong support behind the bills. Therefore, it is urgent that you call your local legislators and soon as possible and tell them: “Please support the following six bills, which will enhance our public safety and save our taxpayer dollars: A4197, A4198, A4199, A4201, A4202, A4203.”

Find local legislators in your municipality.

An attached handout has detailed information about the bills as well as speaking points that can be used to educate others.

2) Forward this information to as many of your colleagues, friends and family as you possibly can, including placing in list servs, newsletters, blogs, fliers, meeting agendas, etc.

Read what some people who participated in the Counting the Costs public hearings had to say.

Proposed Bills
Strengthening Women and Families Act (A4197)
Post-Release Employment Act (A4198)
Administration of Correctional Facilities Act (A4199)
Reduction of Recidivism Act (A4201)
Education and Rehabilitation Act (A4202)
Criminal Penalties Act (A4203)

For more information visit the Second Chance Campaign website.

Why Does New Jersey Hate Formerly Incarcerated People?

On Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 7:30 pm Michael B. Jackson will begin a series of broadcasts asking that question. “The NJ Corrections budget is $1.2 billion a year and still 65 percent of the people who get out of prison are back within 3 years,” says Jackson. “The average person in prison reads on a 5th grade level yet only 2 percent of that $1.2 billion is spent on education programming. NJ ranked 44 out of 50 US states in a national report card for the number of barriers to successful reentry. What’s up with that?”

The series will commence with the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC). “The Juvenile justice Commission promotes, tolerates and encourages discrimination and human rights violations against it’s employees with prior convictions or incarceration in their backgrounds, by virtue of it’s policies and failure act against, speak against or even acknowledge, such behavior within the JJC, time and time again”, stated Jackson. “ I will begin the series with my own current personal situation of injustice and workplace hostility as a formerly incarcerated employee.”

PNR will also unveil the historic “Counting the Costs”: Public Safety and Prisoner Reentry Bills, that will be introduced and moved for committee and floor votes during the upcoming “lame duck” session of the NJ legislation. “People who care about improving public safety and reducing the costs of incarceration will be excited about these bills,” says Jackson, with a big smile on his face. “Getting these bills through is something the people can rally behind and get done.”

Michael B. Jackson, Founder, Executive Producer and Host of Prison Nation Radio says the broadcasts serves a public service by giving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people and the prison-affected community a voice and point of view rarely offered in traditional media. The weekly talk formatted broadcast includes guest interviews, listener call-in, news/information updates and art & entertainment with special attention to issues important to the Prison Nation audience. Jackson also covered the entire Counting the Costs hearings which can be heard on his website. Jackson is the Publisher and Author of three books; "How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for Successful Reentry," "How to Love & Inspire Your Man After Prison," and "Como Cumplir Con Tus Obligaciones Al Salir De La Prision: Guia practica para una vida mejor."

PNR can be accessed at www.JOINTFX.com. The mailing address is PMB 104, Postnet, 621 Beverly-Rancocas Rd, Willingboro, NJ 08046.

The program call in phone number is 1-347-215-8904.

DISNEY OFFERS REFUNDS ON BABY EINSTEIN VIDEOS

The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood is Victorious! Their successful campaign to persuade Disney to give refunds to parents who purchased Baby Einstein videos has become a huge international story. Media coverage includes a front page story in The New York Times ("No Genius in Your Crib? Get a Refund"); stories on Good Morning America and the CBS Evening News; and articles in hundreds of newspapers throughout the United States and Canada. Parents in other countries are now demanding their money back.

Many, including | THE EYE |, have virally spread news about commercialism for babies and children—on blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Screen time for babies and more recently Disney's deceptive marketing has become a hot topic, especially on parenting blogs and listservs. Pediatricians are also planning to distribute information about the refunds in their offices.

The message? Baby Einstein DVDs are not educational. The New York Times called the refunds "a tacit admission that [Baby Einstein] did not increase infant intellect." Now parents will be able to rely on honest information and solid research - not marketing hype - when making important decisions about if and when to let their youngest and most vulnerable children watch screen media. One mom said, "It's great that parents will now have one less thing to worry about. No longer will they feel the pressure to have their babies watch so-called educational videos or risk falling behind."

For a refund go to CCFC's website where there are instructions for how to get a refund, more about CCFC's campaign, a fact sheet on baby videos, and links to all the press coverage.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: 2 EVENTS

EVENT 1

The 7th Annual Outdoor Art Exhibit Celebrating Diversity Call for Art and Quotations from around the Globe. Cash Prizes.

A Juried Show of 39 Billboard-Size Selections on display April and May 2010 in Sarasota and Sarasota County

Submission Deadline: Saturday January 9, 2010

The mission of Embracing Our Differences® is to use art as a catalyst for creating awareness and promoting, throughout our community, the value of diversity, the benefits of inclusion and the significance of the active rejection of hatred and prejudice.

The Embracing Our Differences® exhibit features 39 billboard size images (16 feet wide by 12 feet high) created by professional artists, art students, and school children from Florida and around the world. Their creations reflect their interpretation of our message: "enriching lives through diversity."

An interesting and inspiring feature of the exhibition is the inclusion of the quotations that accompany each image. These quotations were chosen from entries submitted by members of our community and speak of the value of respecting the differences of others.

Since 2004, the exhibit has been viewed by more than 700,000 visitors. During that same period, over 50,000 students and teachers attended the exhibit for firsthand observation and discussion concerning the importance of diversity in our lives.

2010 CALL TO ARTISTS & QUOTATION WRITERS
What does the theme “embracing our differences” mean to you? What message would you like to share with our community?

A Juried Show of 39 Billboard-Size Selections on display April, 2010
Island Park, Sarasota Florida and May, 2010 South Sarasota County
Submission Deadline: Saturday January 9, 2010

See official submission form for more details


Contact:

Embracing Our Differences
A Project of
Coexistence, Inc.
P.O. Box 2559
Sarasota, FL 34230-2559
Visit the Website

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EVENT 2

2010 National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY)

NFFTY has become the largest and most influential film festival and support organization for filmmakers age 22 and under. Founded by 2 teenagers in 2007, NFFTY occurs each spring in Seattle, Washington and includes 100+ film screenings, filmmaking panels, concerts by youth bands, and opportunities for young filmmakers to network with industry professionals and each other. NFFTY filmmakers have ranged in age from 7 to 22 and represent broad cross sections of ethnicity, geography and socio-economic backgrounds. Young filmmakers from throughout the U.S. have submitted films, as well as those from 12 countries around the world. The NFFTY is the largest and most prestigious youth film festival in the country, consisting of 4 days of youth-made films, industry panels and workshops, as well as concerts and parties taking place April 29 - May 2, 2010 in Seattle WA




Early Deadline is October 31, 2009
Regular Deadline is December 15, 2009
Final Deadline is January 15, 2010
To submit, please visit the website
Still have questions after reading the Rules?
Contact: filmmakers@nffty.org

AMERICA FOR DUMMIES

"Witnessing and experiencing the apathy and ignorance of American youth towards the world and the people that govern it has become an astonishing aspect of the “American Lifestyle.” Growing up in a third world country, traveling the world and really seeing both sides of the picture made me question the capability of the future leaders of our world. America for Dummies is my quest to uncover why we are so apathetic about the world, let alone our nation, especially in our post-9/11 atmosphere."Niaz Mosharraf

Winner of the Youth Voice Award from the 2009 Media That Matters Film Festival.

WHAT PUBLIC POLICY REALLY LOOKS LIKE AND WHY IT NEEDS TO CHANGE

Here is a creative and effective video/lecture by Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig. Author of numerous books including Free Culture he simply explains the economy of how the U.S. government works. The lobbying industry is now a 9-12 billion dollar business. "Every single issue that you care about is fundamentally affected by this corruption of the process of government. That corruption leads to a complete collapse of trust...88% of people believe money buys results in Congress leading to an extraordinary level of cynicism of that institution." All good reasons for citizen lobbyists to push back. Solutions are provided...

DOCUMENTARY SERIES: BRICK CITY

If you live in New Jersey, this documentary series on the Sundance Channel shouldn't be missed. BRICK CITY is a five-part documentary series that fans out around the city of Newark, New Jersey to capture the daily drama of a community striving to become a better, safer, stronger place to live. Against great odds, Newark’s citizens and its Mayor, Cory A. Booker, fight to raise the city out of nearly a half century of violence, poverty and corruption. In the five one-hour episodes of BRICK CITY, the lives of Mayor Booker, citizens on the front lines, and key figures re-making the city – from developers to ex-gang members - intertwine in a portrait of a city at a critical moment in history. Produced by Forrest Whitaker. Airs every night this week, 10 pm - Sundance Channel. Also available on demand. Don't miss it.

RAISE ME UP LAUNCHES FOSTER CARE MEDIA CAMPAIGN

A lot of people are under the impression that in order to impact the life of a child in foster care, they have to become a foster parent. Raise Me Up wants to show people how easy it is to dramatically change the life of a vulnerable child in foster care with just a small commitment of time. Get the facts.

The message of the Raise Me Up campaign is: “You don’t have to raise a foster child to raise them up. You just have to raise your hand and say you’ll help.” New Jerseyans will be invited to visit the Raise Me Up Web site through powerful television, radio and transit advertisements where they will learn about a variety of ways to

volunteer and help youth across the state and right in their own community.

Goals of the Raise Me Up campaign:

• Strengthen families and improve the lives of millions of children.

• Inspire action and engagement.

• Focus people on the real challenges facing children in foster care.

Hear personal stories

GET INVOLVED.

Find opportunities to volunteer in New Jersey.

Find opportunities nationwide

For more information contact:

New Jersey Department of Children and Families

Office of Communications and Legislation

222 South Warren Street – 3rd Floor

P.O. Box 729

Trenton, NJ 08625

Phone: 609-262-0422

Fax: 609-777-0443

Email: Communications@dcf.state.nj.us

Web site: www.nj.gov/dcf

HOW CAN YOU WORK IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

President Obama has said that the challenges America faces are unprecedented, and that we need to build a new foundation for economic growth in America. The President has also announced a new program called United We Serve that is designed to encourage Americans to volunteer more. The Administration has already begun work with dramatic new investments in education, health care and clean energy, but it cannot be done alone.

Consider volunteering in your community even if it's only an hour a week. With all the cutbacks to nonprofit organizations with the recession and the Madoff scandal, your community needs you more than ever. And it's great work experience for the resume! Consider the ways you can use your talents to help in your local area. It will surely be worth it.

Find volunteer opportunities in your area with this great resource:

ALL FOR GOOD

FOR THE LOVE OF READING

Reading Rainbow, a children's reading show hosted by LeVar Burton ended broadcast on Friday, August 28, 2009 due to lack of funding after a 26 year run on PBS. The multi Emmy award-winning show had not produced any new episodes in the past three years due to a $210,000 per episode price tag. Not only was funding support unavailable to renew the show's broadcast rights, through research the Corporation for Public Broadcasting found that a shift in educational television programming had taken place in recent years. Reading Rainbow's concentration was initially based on teaching kids why to read as opposed to teaching them how to read through phonetics and spelling. This recent policy change seems to have smothered the idea of inspiring children to read just for the love of it as well as for the sake of enjoying and understanding storytelling. The affiliated Reading Rainbow website will also cease production in December. The program was popular for use in the classroom setting and will continue to be available for screening in schools.

Carrying on a Legacy - Representative Patrick Kennedy

I first met Congressman Patrick Kennedy a few years ago at a hearing in Trenton. At that time he was traveling around the country meeting with ordinary citizens to hear their mental health and addiction-related stories as well as their difficulties in getting appropriate healthcare treatment. The Congressman was the chief sponsor of and reintroduced a bill named The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, a landmark legislation that became law in 2008. The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act ensures that mental health benefits are offered at parity with medical benefits, providing access to mental health services for approximately 113 million Americans. This legislation sought the breakdown of discrimination in insurance coverage for mental health compared to physical health care. No small feat. Especially since it took over ten years to pass the legislation.

Patrick Kennedy, a Democrat of Rhode Island saw the bill as a civil rights issue and openly described his own drug dependence and depression as a mental illness and felt fortunate as a Congressman to get the best healthcare treatment for his own problems and wanted to make sure every American could receive the same level of healthcare. This sounds quite reminiscent of his father Edward Kennedy.

The media eulogies abound this week for Senator Ted Kennedy, rightly so. However, repeatedly we are being told that the Senator is the last in the line of the Kennedy family legacy. Why do they not refer to Patrick Kennedy? If anyone will continue the work of Senator Teddy Kennedy it will be his son, Patrick. Patrick Kennedy sits on the Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. He is also a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and has introduced several bills which would strengthen laws regarding handguns. He may not have the same dynamic personality as his father, but I can say he was very warm and kind when I met him.

The next time someone in the media acts like there is no one left in the Kennedy family to continue the legacy or replace Edward, let us consider Patrick Kennedy and recognize that he has the political where-with-all to continue empathetic and realistic work on healthcare reform and other social issues. But the values and principles of Senator Ted Kennedy can-and-should be realized in each of us as American citizens, as well.

NEWARK URBAN PLANNER MAPS MORTGAGE CRISIS

City of Newark waterfront urban planner and artist Damon Rich developed a visual playground for adults, called the Red Lines at the Queens Museum of Art. Calling it an experience of the United States mortgage crisis, Rich mapped neighborhoods in dire circumstances using the 1964 World's Fair Panorama of the City of New York.

NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE PULLS PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY

Edward Martins, a Portuguese photographer living in London has had his photo essay about the U.S. mortgage and real estate bubble removed from The New York Times online slide show due to digital cloning and manipulation in photographs that were promoted as manipulation-free. A blogger initially noticed that three of Martin's photos were indeed digitally enhanced and manipulated in Adobe Photoshop. Photo District News an industry tabloid paper picked up on the story.

Although the manipulations might appear as a minor indiscretion, when understanding the nature of cloning, unfortunately for the New York Times' special presentation of an historical event in this country, an artist making aesthetic corrections to enhance journalistic photographs poses a major breach of ethics. It's bad enough when ordinary readers often don't recognize a construction for what it is, especially when dealing with issues like women's representation and body image, where a great deal of human flaws are removed or repaired. That's advertising. But Martin was commissioned to take photographs that were meant to serve as a historical document of our economic times. Good thing someone was paying attention and deconstructing the images.

See the manipulated photos.

Read Simon Owen's interview with the blogger who exposed the manipulations.

Inside Out: Voices from New Jersey State Prison

A powerful collection of poems, stories, memoirs and commentaries by 43 inmates who took part in a creative writing workshop. Compiled and edited by Kal Wagenheim, who directed the workshop, similar to one he directed for college students at Columbia University in New York City.

CLOSING THE ADDICTION TREATMENT GAP

On Wednesday, as a legislative leader for Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG), along with peers who did the same statewide to their legislative districts, I delivered a package and postcards to my district office (11) in Monmouth County to Senator Sean Kean, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini and Assemblyman David Rible. The legislators where not in the office when I arrived, but I spoke with their Chief of Staff, Ryan Sharpe. He listened carefully and respectfully as I explained about friends of mine who had sons who died while trying to access addiction treatment, and another who had no access through their own health care policy and had to pay for treatment out of their own pocket. They ended up sending their son out-of-state for treatment. Ryan Sharpe said that Assemblywoman Angelini was supportive on the issues.

The package I delivered held NCADD-NJ’s new primer detailing the state’s addiction treatment gap and the savings the state would see by providing more treatment. Also included were individual cards from other citizens who support increasing a small tax on beer distributors—just 5 cents a gallon to raise over 7.5 million for treatment. The money would go into the dedicated Alcohol Education Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund (AEREF). With the Closing the Addiction Gap proposal, not only will lives be saved, but New Jersey would save money in its budget by reducing health care costs and the criminal justice system.

Advocates in photos: Alice Silverman visits Assemblyman Jack Connors (top left) Sue Foose, whose son Brian died due to lack of treatment resources (middle right) and Jeanette Grimes with Senate President Dick Cody's staff (bottom).