NJ attorney general to host virtual town hall on Thursday, May 7

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal will host a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday, May 7 at noon to discuss the availability of recovery and addiction services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina will moderate the discussion and will be joined by New Jersey State Police Lieutenant Colonel Fritz Frage, NJ CARES Deputy Attorney General Kelly Levy, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Captain Hector Carter, recovery specialist Trisha Baum of Hand ‘n’ Heart, and Robin Shorter of Integrity House in Newark.

The panelists will share their knowledge and experience about the range of recovery and addiction resources available to the public and provide information about how to best connect with those resources during the pandemic. 

Anyone who wants to participate in the virtual event can register online.  the virtual town halls are recorded and translated into Spanish.

“Individuals struggling with addiction are especially vulnerable to feelings of anxiety and isolation during this public health crisis and we’re seeing the tragic results of this as reports of fatal overdoses increase nationwide,” Grewal said. “We must not let the social distancing measures in place hinder people’s ability to access help at a time when they need it most. We want to assure people that recovery resources are available to them during this stressful time and encourage them to reach out as soon, and as often, as they need it.” 

Another town hall covering New Jersey law enforcement responses to the COVID-19 pandemic will be held on Monday, May 11, at 4 p.m. Panelists will include Colonel Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police; Marcus Hicks, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Corrections; Veronica Allende, director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice; Chris Leusner, chief of the Middle Township Police Department and president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police; Nichelle Luster, chief of the Union City Police Department; and Pat Colligan, president of the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association. Register for the May 11 Town Hall session online. A fraud and bias virtual town hall session will be held later in May. Scheduling and registration details will be announced later.