Commemorative Project to Uplift the Collective Work of New Jersey Government Officials, Harm Reduction Advocates, Outreach Workers, and Public Health Practitioners
Annual overdose deaths in New Jersey have declined 58% from 2022 to 2025, a dramatic decrease that means thousands of lives have been saved. This success is driven by significant investments and new policies to increase community access to harm reduction services such as naloxone distribution, syringe access, and community-based treatment.
In celebration, Vital Strategies and New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition launched “Conditions to Bloom.” This multimedia project celebrates the many actors across the state—including New Jersey government officials, the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition, Newark Community Street Team, Imperfect Village, and Proceed Inc.—to recognize the collective work of expanding harm reduction and delivering life-saving overdose prevention services to communities statewide.
Much of this expansion is grounded in law passed in 2022, in which New Jersey state leaders created a pathway for the stability and expansion of Harm Reduction Centers and followed with funding support. Key successes include:
- Today, Harm Reduction Centers are operating more than 50 sites across all 21 counties in the state, up from only 7 Centers before the change in state policy in 2022.
- Overdose deaths fell from 3,174 in 2022 to 2,827 in 2023 — the first statewide decline across all racial and ethnic groups in over a decade
- Between June 2022 and July 2025, New Jersey’s Naloxone Direct Program distributed 520,740 two-dose naloxone kits to 1,312 unique organizations — roughly one kit for every 18 New Jersey residents
“At a time when harm reduction remains both essential and contested as a public health strategy, it’s crucial to celebrate the strides made towards ending the overdose crisis in New Jersey,” said Dionna King, Senior Technical Advisor, Vital Strategies. “‘Conditions to Bloom’ celebrates the decline in overdose deaths thanks to the collaborative effort of local communities, advocates, policy makers, and public health workers.”
About Conditions to Bloom and the Pop-up Installation
“Conditions to Bloom” is centered around short videos, portraits, stories, data points and a moving short documentary that illustrate New Jersey’s success in driving down overdose rates. The project features a website and on May 2, a pop-up gallery featuring these works opened in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with an event attended by officials, advocates, and health practitioners. Elected officials who spoke at the event included Evesham Township Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper, New Brunswick City Council Vice President Petra N. Gaskins, and State Representative Katie Brennan.
“Conditions to Bloom” uses a botanical analogy to highlight four areas of success: “Soil” representing statewide systemic change; “Roots” representing community engagement; “Seeds” representing the powerful personal stories; and “Weather” representing the barriers that still exist.
“Harm reduction saves lives. Five years ago, New Jersey was dead last in the country on harm reduction. Today, overdose deaths are coming down because people who use drugs, community leaders, and principled lawmakers refused to give up on our neighbors,” said Jenna Mellor, Executive Director at New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition. “This is a public health success story to shout from the rooftops. But let’s be clear, this progress is fragile. We need sustained funding, sustained political will, and a commitment to the people doing the work. The people we’ve lost deserve nothing less. The people still with us deserve everything we’ve got.”
“I wanted to be involved with the project because I genuinely care about my community. I want them to know people care about them,” said Shevone Torres, President, Imperfect Village. “I hope more people that look like me can see me and realize they can do this. I hope that by seeing a face that looks like theirs, it will encourage my community to get the services they need.”
Governor Mikie Sherrill said she will build on the harm reduction programs established by the Murphy Administration. “My Administration is committed to expanding access to lifesaving resources and uplifting evidence-based harm reduction strategies” Sherrill has previously stated, adding that New Jersey “cannot afford to lose momentum.”
About
Vital Strategies is a global health organization that believes every person should be protected by a strong public health system, with an overdose prevention program working in several U.S. states and local jurisdictions. To find out more, please visit www.vitalstrategies.org or follow us on LinkedIn.
New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition (NJHRC) works to create a New Jersey that values the safety and dignity of all people who use drugs through evidence-informed harm reduction services, technical assistance, and policy advocacy. To find out more, please visit www.njharmreduction.org
Ghost Note Agency is a strategy-led creative agency known for building ideas that move culture and shift perception. For “Conditions to Bloom,” Ghost Note led the concept development, narrative strategy, microsite and immersive gallery experience, with PS92 Studios producing the companion documentary.