 They work with Local, State and Federal Governments for increased funding and better access to treatment for Southern New Jersey communities. The drug problem is growing beyond belief in South Jersey ...and each month the numbers of young adults, teens and families calling for help steadily increases.
Parent-To-Parent’s persistence, commitment and their powerful personal message has influenced Governors and Legislators and raised awareness of the problems of substance abuse in adolescents and young adults. Their efforts have done much to make more services available in South Jersey.
The staff works with parents and those seeking appropriate treatment services. This is no small task in New Jersey. There are not enough treatment facilities and those who are addicted are turned away from treatment facilities every day. Many die while waiting for a bed to become available.
Their persistence at obtaining more funding for treatment got Governor Corzine’s attention. When he was holding town meetings, he continually saw the 4 Moms in the audience. In fact, he at one point expressed “Oh no, not the moms again!” However, their efforts were no joke. Their Nickel Campaign to increase the state’s alcohol tax to fund more treatment stirred up a lot of recognition.
Parent-To-Parent’s presence at Trenton’s rallies for Parity support legislation to require health insurance companies to have drug addiction classified as a disease so insurers will cover mental and addictive illnesses under the same terms and conditions as for medical conditions. Parity saves lives and money by ending discriminatory practices used to treat mental health and addictive illnesses.
On December 10, 2007, Parent-To-Parent and NCADD continued to push for mental health and addiction parity legislation by releasing a short film and press coverage of P2P’s successful rally at Speaker Joseph Robert’s Brooklawn Legislative District Office. P2P and NCADD hosted the short film on the popular website “You Tube” and sent an e-mail message to thousands of advocates, New Jersey news outlets and all 120 New Jersey legislators in their effort to have parity legislation posted in the General Assembly before the end of the legislative session.
In the photos:
Top: The Moms along with other parents rally at Speaker Joseph Roberts' office pushing for support legislation requiring insurers to cover mental and addictive illnesses.
Bottom:The Parent-To-Parent Moms with Governor Corzine in Trenton. |
