News: Bergen County Sheriff Saudino announces new partnership to sustain recovery from opioid addiction
Hackensack, NJ – Bergen County Sheriff today announced a new technology-driven program to help released inmates accelerate their recovery and re-entry into society and reduce recidivism.
A partnership between the Bergen County Jail, TeamPatient® and Transition Professionals aims to empower individuals upon release by connecting them to everything and everyone they need to support their recovery and transition back into society.
Bergen County’s Sheriff Saudino recognized that incarceration is not fully preparing inmates to be released back into society – it takes more. “Our team reviewed the power of TeamPatient® to create a personalized and private support network that includes all of the relevant resources and connections needed to become a productive citizen in society post incarceration. This is about technology enabling people to be there for the people that really need them – including families, sponsors, counselors, friends … as defined by the individual. And we are pleased to implement the solution through our partner Transition Professionals. This will be the first end-to-end application of technology for former inmates.”
TeamPatient® from Solutionize, Inc., is a real-time support app that improves team collaboration and accountability. TeamPatient® provides a personalized and private network for each recovering individual to manage their day-to-day tasks and appointments; connect to their trusted teams – including counsellors, sponsors, friends and family; and share information as appropriate.
Peter Watts, CEO of New Jersey based Solutionize Inc., remarked “We thank and applaud Sheriff Saudino for his vision and desire to bridge the criminal justice system and the world of care. This is timely as New Jersey’s impact from the opioid crisis is exploding. TeamPatient® empowers the individual and brings a new level of 24×7 support to those family and teams helping the individual. We are delighted that our pioneering work in America’s heartland is proving to be a scalable solution nationally.”
Transition Professionals Bonnie O’Brien, Executive Director, added “We are pleased to be able to enhance our work with the Bergen County Jail to provide medication assisted treatment to individuals with substance use disorders. Being able to provide case management upon their release from jail offers the person assistance in managing their road to successful recovery”.
About:
Solutionize Inc., is a leader in providing collaboration infrastructures for critical sectors of the economy. Solutionize is a member of NJIT’s Health IT Connections program. TeamPatient has been deployed since early 2016, in patient populations including Leukemia and Autism.
Transition Professionals, Hackensack NJ, has extensive knowledge of community services and the criminal justice system providing people recently released from jail or prison with the help that they need to transition back into society – referrals to services, obtaining employment and counseling to lead self-sustaining lives.