Funding will support mentoring program for children who’ve been exposed to opioid misuse.

Rockaway, N.J. (November 16, 2020) – Prevention Is Key (PIK), a north Jersey-based non-profit substance misuse prevention agency, announced today the receipt of a $600K grant from the DOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) as part of their Mentoring Opportunities Youth Initiative. Funding will support a mentoring program for children in Morris and Passaic Counties who have been exposed to opioid misuse through their own experience or that of a family member. 

PIK’s mentoring program will be offered to 100 children ages 11 to 17 who have either first-hand experience with opioid misuse or family members who are using or have misused. Aimed at building resiliency, the three-year program will give mentees positive social and emotional support to supplement treatment programs and help them develop skills to build their own informal support systems.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded the OJJDP grant to provide mentoring to youth residents in Morris and Passaic Counties who’ve been impacted by opioids and drug addiction,” said PIK Executive Director Chris Goeke. “The demand for youth mentoring among this underserved population has never been greater than it is today, with a pandemic that continues to fuel feelings of social isolation. PIK remains fully engaged in supporting our communities as they strive to live healthier lives throughout our great state.” 

“PIK’s work on substance abuse prevention and recovery helps our community with critical programs like peer recovery support, Narcan training, and partnering on Hope One,” said Representative Sherrill. “This mentoring program for children impacted by opioid misuse is just another example of PIK’s proactive approach to ensuring that those most in need of support receive it. I am thrilled that the DOJ awarded the federal grant funding to support this much-needed program, and I look forward to following its progress.”

The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative at the Department of Justice focuses on providing mentoring services as a part of a prevention and treatment program to support children affected by opioids and drug addiction.

About Prevention Is Key 

Prevention is Key (PIK) is a 501(c)3 organization that has successfully delivered culturally competent, evidence-based prevention services in Morris County and the surrounding counties for 30 years. The agency was founded in 1989 to coordinate substance abuse prevention in Morris County.  From our roots as a resource center and awareness campaign agency with a modest budget to our current implementation of both direct service and environmental change strategies, including the addition of the Center for Addiction Recovery and Success (CARES) Peer to Peer Recovery Center, it has made PIK the premiere substance abuse prevention agency in north-central New Jersey. For more information, visit www.preventioniskey.org.