Governor Chris Christie today announced the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has issued opioid curriculum resources, developed in collaboration with state and local agencies and community stakeholders, along with $2.7 million in grant awards to three school districts to expand access to recovery high schools for students battling addiction. These initiatives are part of the Governor’s anti-opioid campaign to create or enhance opportunities for addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery.
“We continue to make key investments in prevention efforts in order to help save innocent young lives from the disease of addiction before it starts,” said Governor Christie. “ It is a top priority to ensure our children learn about the consequences of addiction, and make crucial supports available to those in need of treatment.”
New Jersey Governor’s Executive Order No. 219 directed the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education to develop comprehensive curriculum resources to educate children about the dangers of substance abuse. The Education Commissioner convened a committee comprised of NJDOE and school personnel, parents, law enforcement, county and state agencies, professional organizations, and mental health/behavioral experts. The committee worked collaboratively to identify evidence-based opioid curriculum resources, programs, and practices to support the instruction of the K-12 New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. The suite of opioid curriculum resources were made available today on the NJDOE website and will be sent to all school districts.
Read more at STL News….
