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Cape May County sees fewer overdose deaths; providers warn recovery services face funding risk
Summary
At the May 13 MHADA meeting, local providers reported a decline in overdose deaths and increased naloxone distribution but warned that some response teams face imminent funding gaps.
At the May 13 meeting of the Mental Health Addiction Drug Alliance of Cape May County (MHADA), Cape Assist and other local providers reported a decline in overdose fatalities while warning that funding limits could undercut continued response efforts. Cape Assist representative Kelly Benigno told the board overdose deaths in the county fell from 10 in 2023 to seven in 2024, with four fatalities reported so far in 2025. Providers credited wider availability of naloxone and ongoing fentanyl education for part of the decline.
Why it matters: Board members and providers said reduced deaths coexist with fragile program funding, creating a risk that gains could be reversed if emergency response teams or harm-reduction services lose support.
Kelly Benigno of Cape Assist presented county-level trends and described how Cape Assist’s Wellness Center has been operating as a partially mobile service, working with intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), Recovery Court and the Ocean City library to reach people in need. Benigno reported the county’s Overdose Fatality Review Team has been examining methadone diversion and coordinating with local funeral homes to distribute resources.
Mary Rybicki reported on Hope One—a mobile outreach van that now operates a full schedule and recently started in Sea Isle City—and said Hope One distributed more than 60 naloxone kits during a recent recovery resource event at ARS and Recovery Court. Rybicki also said the Prosecutor’s Office is planning a summer camp for 20–25 youth and recently hosted a first Crisis Intervention Training attended by 24 participants, including law enforcement officers from Ocean City.
Sueanne Agger, reporting on behalf of Cooper University — Cape Regional hospital, said the county’s Overdose Response Team currently has funding only through December. That timeline prompted discussion among MHADA members about the need to identify replacement or supplemental funding before year-end.
Discussion vs. decision: The board discussed current program activity, outreach and funding concerns; no board motion was recorded to change funding levels for any program. Pat Devaney asked the Opioid Settlement Advisory subcommittee to convene within a month to evaluate options for settlement fund use; that request was recorded separately as a direction for the subcommittee to meet.
Ending: Providers encouraged continued training and naloxone distribution; MHADA members noted planning will continue as the county evaluates settlement fund priorities and short-term funding gaps for response teams.
