Sea Change Recovery Community Organization

02/14/2026

02/14/2026

💙 Our loved ones in recovery deserve real, evidence-based treatment 👉🏽not empty promises.

Too many corporate recovery centers put profit over people, advertising services they don’t actually provide. When treatment fails, the system becomes a revolving door while families continue to suffer.

📢 Learn how to report deceptive marketing:
👉 njorganizing.us/howtoreport

02/11/2026

New Jersey has taken an important step forward. ✅ With the passage of S3017, lawmakers affirmed that opioid settlement funds must be used as intended - to repair harm from the overdose crisis and save lives. The bill must now move forward quickly without amendments, unless they are to further strengthen protections against future raids.

As someone with lived experience and the Executive Director of Sea Change, a recovery community and harm reduction center, I see the urgency every day. Just last week, experienced 11 overdoses in three days, four were fatal. 🚨 New Jersey residents are still dying every day.

Since June, we have fought to protect $45 million from being diverted to fill budget gaps. New Jersey chose to be a no-supplantation state. These dollars belong to the communities most harmed and must fund harm reduction, treatment, recovery supports, and housing that prevent overdoses in real time, not large institutions.

We are counting on Legislature and Governor Sherrill to act swiftly and ensure these funds are used exactly as intended. Lives depend on it. 💙



https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/01/sherrill-administration-under-pressure-to-restore-45m-in-opioid-settlement-funding/

02/10/2026

💚 Reminder: Date with Nature – February 14th 💚

Don’t forget! Join us this Valentine’s Day for a special “Date with Nature” at Jakes Branch County Park 🌿

Enjoy a guided tour with Park Ranger Ben Ackerman, including an overview of the park and a peaceful walk along the trail. It’s a great way to slow down, enjoy fresh air, and connect with nature in good company.

📞 Call or text AJ at (908) 291-2688 to RSVP

We hope to see you there! 🌳✨

02/07/2026

🛑 Protect Opioid Settlement Funds 👉🏼Sign the Petition! 🛑

The opioid crisis has claimed too many lives, and settlement money from pharmaceutical companies was meant to help communities heal, not to be redirected without transparency.

In New Jersey, lawmakers diverted $45 million from the state’s opioid settlement fund - money that was supposed to support overdose prevention, treatment, recovery, housing, harm reduction, and community-led programs, and sent it to four large hospital systems as part of the state budget. This move has drawn strong criticism from us, other harm-reduction advocates, members of the state opioid advisory council, and the Attorney General, because it goes against the council’s recommendations for how these funds should be spent.

These settlement dollars are part of over $1 billion New Jersey will receive through 2038 to help address the opioid epidemic and we and other advocates demand they not be used as unrestricted general budget spending.

That’s why we’re asking you to sign the petition to restore this $45M to its intended purpose, supporting the people and communities hardest hit by this crisis, not wealthy hospital systems. 🟡

👉 Your voice matters. Help ensure this money goes where it was meant to: saving lives, expanding treatment, and offering real recovery support.



https://actionnetwork.org/letters/return-opioid-settlement-funds-to-the-communities-they-were-meant-for?source=direct_link&

New Jersey is at a critical moment. $45 million of opioid settlement funds, meant to support life-saving, evidence-based programs—like harm reduction services, medications for opioid use disorder, supportive housing, and legal assistance—was diverted to hospital systems in June with no plan for ...

01/28/2026

💚 Date with Nature – February 14th 💚

We’re excited to announce that our next community event is on Valentine’s Day! Join us for a special “Date with Nature” at Jakes Branch County Park 🌿

Enjoy a guided tour led by Park Ranger Ben Ackerman, featuring an overview of the park’s facilities and a relaxing walk along the trail. It’s the perfect chance to slow down, connect with nature, and enjoy some fresh air in great company.

We hope you’ll join us for a peaceful and refreshing walk through the park! Call or text AJ (908) 291-2688 to RSVP.

01/26/2026

01/26/2026

3 Common Myths About Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) ⬇️

Myth 1: “It’s replacing one addiction with another.”
Fact: MAT stabilizes brain chemistry at therapeutic doses. It reduces cravings and overdose risk—it does not create euphoria.

Myth 2: “People on MAT aren’t really sober.”
Fact: Recovery is about stability, health, and function. People on MAT are working, parenting, and rebuilding their lives. That is recovery.

Myth 3: “MAT is a short-term crutch.”
Fact: Treatment length is individualized. Some people use MAT short-term, others longer—just like treatment for any chronic condition.

MAT doesn’t do the work—but it creates the space for the real work to begin.

Evidence matters. Compassion matters. Individualized care matters.

01/23/2026

in the news... The SandPaper

Ocean County-based nonprofit Sea Change Recovery Community Organization, serving Ocean County, is now accepting registrations for its family support group, a free program designed to support families and loved ones impacted by substance use, the RCO has announced. The group meets Wednesdays from 7 t...

01/22/2026

Alert 🚨 Get free naloxone and training!
Call Sea Change (609) 241-2630

“Better to have it an not need it, than to need it and not have it”

Keep each other safe.