JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Jack and Ronnie McGreevey Civic Association is working to respond to one of its most urgent public health challenges: the epidemic of mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. On Friday, May 16, at 2:00 p.m., community leaders, healthcare professionals, faith organizations, and concerned citizens will convene at A Better Life Ministry (129-145 Linden Avenue, Jersey City) for a pivotal roundtable discussion entitled “The Silent Crisis: Mental Health in Our Community.” Founder of the Jack and Ronnie McGreevey Civic Association Jim McGreevey has organized the event through the Jack and Ronnie McGreevey Civic Association, founded in honor of his parents to serve the most vulnerable in Hudson County with compassion and resolve.
The statistics are stark. In 2023, Hudson County recorded 221 unintentional overdose deaths, the highest in New Jersey, according to the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). The primary substances involved were opioids (175), fentanyl (169), stimulants (132), and cocaine (128). Simultaneously, the 2024 Point-in-Time Count showed 1,168 individuals experiencing homelessness in Hudson County, over half of whom reside in Jersey City.
“This roundtable is not about statistics; it’s about saving lives. The time to act is now,” said Governor Jim McGreevey. “We can no longer treat this crisis as invisible. It looks us in the eye whenever we pass a park, a train station, or a corner.”
Bishop Jevah L. Richardson, Senior Pastor of A Better Life Ministry, emphasized the moral imperative of faith-based engagement while hosting the event. “Our faith extends beyond the pulpit. It lives in every act of justice and mercy. This roundtable is a community altar where every person in pain finds a place and a voice,” he said.
The roundtable will feature participation from Eva’s Village, Integrity House, CURA, Revive Behavioral Health Management (Revive BHM), the New Jersey Coalition of Treatment Providers (NJCTP), and a broad coalition of clinicians, survivors, and advocates. Discussions will focus on real-time detox access, overdose prevention, community mental health care, and reducing stigma.
“Governor McGreevey’s leadership in calling this roundtable is historic,” said Daniel Regan, President of NJCTP. “His vision and ability to unite key stakeholders will close critical gaps in our system. This will save lives—with strategy, compassion, and courage.”
To build on this work, the Jack and Ronnie McGreevey Civic Association has also launched a permanent naloxone (Narcan) distribution program. Offered Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 73 Martin Luther King Drive, this initiative provides free overdose reversal medication. It links individuals directly to detox and recovery programs in real time.
“This roundtable is an act of moral urgency,” added Kevin Miller, CEO of Revive BHM. “Governor McGreevey is leading the way: we either unite, or we continue to lose lives. At Revive BHM, we didn’t come to observe. We came to act.”
Above all, this event is a call to action, not just for policymakers and professionals, but for every family who has lost a loved one, every young person struggling in silence, and every resident who refuses to accept despair as usual. Jersey City is choosing to break the silence. This is a community response, and every voice matters.
