Welcome Letter
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the NJ-CARS Advisory Board and the 2022 Conference Committee, we warmly welcome you to the 4th Annual Recovery Ecosystems Conference! For the past two years, we could not in good conscience bring this conference to you in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That being said, we are elated and grateful to be bringing the recovery community together in-person today.
An ecosystem is defined as a “community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.” In a thriving recovery ecosystem, the entire continuum of care for substance use and mental health disorders efficiently and effectively works together to create a recovery ready community.
Though pieces of that ecosystem exist in communities throughout the state, we seek to cultivate a robust and complete recovery ecosystem in every community. This will allow New Jersey residents to access and sustain recovery in the community in which they live, work and learn. Our conference theme “Impact Through Education, Innovation & Collaboration” was chosen intentionally. We must unify and work together to make this vision a reality. We hope to inspire you, as well as educate and arm you with practical skills to better carry out your work.
To put a conference of this magnitude together is not a small task. We would like to thank the entire NJ-CARS Advisory Board for their unwavering support; the 2022 Conference Committee; and, all of the sponsoring organizations for their generous financial support.
Most importantly though, we would like to thank you. It is only with you – your passion and dedication to helping others – that we will pave our way into the future and towards a thriving recovery ecosystem. We could not accomplish what we do without your leadership.
Today we stand together, a united front, to strengthen the New Jersey Recovery Community as a whole.
In service,
Morgan Thompson (she/her), MSW
NJ-CARS Co-Chair
Mariel Hufnagel (she/her)
NJ-CARS Conference Chair
Made Possible By;
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.
Prevention Links (PL) is a community-based non-profit organization focused on addiction prevention & recovery support, based in Roselle, New Jersey. PL has spearheaded the formation of a number of innovative recovery support programs, including the first recovery high school in the state, which opened in 2015. In 2017, PL was awarded funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which supported the formation of NJ-CARS. PL serves as the fiscal agent for NJ-CARS, providing staffing, resources, expertise and support to ensure the Coalition’s success.
and the generous support of our sponsors.
Emergent BioSolutions is a global life sciences company dedicated to one simple mission—to protect and enhance life. We develop, manufacture, and deliver a portfolio of medical countermeasures for biological and chemical threats as well as emerging infectious diseases.
The mission of HOPE Sheds Light is to raise awareness and educate individuals, families and the community about the impact of addiction by having the courage to share personal experiences and offer strength, wisdom, hope and resources that lead to positive community change and long-term recovery.
BRC is a substance abuse, drug and alcohol addiction treatment and rehabilitation facility that has helped patients recover from their addictions since 1981. It was founded with the goal to provide a caring, supportive environment for those battling addiction & to help them turn their lives around. We strive to incorporate leading-edge advances to assure the most effective addiction treatment, and to provide medically-monitored detoxification and residential rehabilitation assistance for those suffering from drug and alcohol dependence.
Addiction Outreach Team Hotline 973-348-9769
hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/locations/Blake-Recovery-Center
All Roads Recovery Community Center helps anyone struggling with addiction navigate their next steps on the journey to recovery. There is not one road to recovery, just as there is not one type of person. There are many people and pathways, and we believe that a peer recovery center is where these roads and people should converge. All Roads currently offers a wide variety of Recovery Groups, as well as one-on-one coaching with Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS).
The mission of Coaching Connections is to ensure the opportunity for individuals with developmental disabilities to receive quality services and supports and empower them to face down barriers to employment. Coaching-Connections LLC. offers Sincere, Steady, and Specialized Services in order to Educate, Emancipate, and Empower through Love, Lifting and Liberating those with developmental disabilities and their loved ones.
