AUDUBON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Officials in Camden County are celebrating a milestone of its program that helps people suffering from substance use disorder. Since it launched in 2019, Project SAVE has helped 10,000 people in Camden County avoid jail and get into addiction treatment.
Project SAVE links people with addictions to services that help them get their lives back on track, often with the first interaction occurring in a municipal courtroom. It's a model that's been copied all over the state.
Felicia Buzard, now five years sober, credits the program with turning her life around.
"I was an absolute mess in my addiction," she recalled. "I was not who I am. I was not a mother, I wasn't present. I was everywhere else but where I needed to be."
Colleen Snow, the former director of the program, is still deeply involved with helping those in need. She said the benefits of this program go far beyond the individual — theft and petty crimes have also declined.
Drug arrests in Camden County fell by 28% from 2019 to 2022. Since 2019, there has been a 34% decrease in overdoses among program participants. Law enforcement officials said they could keep arresting the same people over and over for property crimes, but this program is proven to end the cycle for those who complete it.
"It really has impacted the community in bringing everybody together for enhancing that shared accountability, knowing how effective it is," Snow said.
Of the 10,000 referrals for treatment, the county said more than half were facilitated by court staff. Snow said meeting people where they are is critical.
"Everybody has a shared understanding in the county that this early intervention also acts as a prevention to before they commit more serious crimes," she added.
If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, call 844-REACH-NJ.
