Ridgefield Park, NJ Detox and Rehab Centers

First settled back in 1685, Ridgefield Park is a village located in southern Bergen County, which is in New Jersey but overlaps New York City.

Like many cities, towns, and villages across the United States, Ridgefield Park struggles with the effects of heroin and opioid addiction. Bergen County law enforcement and EMS responded to 3,071 incidents that required the use of Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, between 2017 and 2022.¹ Of those incidents, 30 happened in Ridgefield Park.¹

In November 2020, Ridgefield Park police revived 2 overdose victims with Narcan who were found at the same house.² A man and a woman received 2 doses of Narcan each and started breathing again on their own before being transported to the hospital.²

Law enforcement in Bergen County is working to keep heroin off the streets.  In June 2022, Narcotic Task Force detectives arrested a Philadelphia man in Ridgefield Park suspected of carrying bulk amounts of drugs.³ A search of his car uncovered 93 bricks of heroin.³

Heroin addiction is the main reason most people in Ridgefield Park seek out substance use disorder treatment.⁴ In 2020, 54 people in the village entered treatment.⁴ Almost 50% of them listed heroin as their primary drug, while 37% of those who entered treatment did so for alcohol addiction.⁴

The staff at a drug or alcohol rehab center works with patients to create a personalized treatment plan. Services can be tailored to individual needs with the goal of helping patients successfully address their addiction and achieve sobriety.

People who live in and around Ridgefield Park have no shortage of rehabs to choose from for addiction treatment. There are close to 200 facilities located within 10 miles of Ridgefield Park, which is almost half of the 380 treatment centers available across the state of New Jersey.^5.6 The centers near Ridgefield Park offer the following addiction treatment services:⁵

• 57 supervised withdrawal centers designed to help patients detox from drugs or alcohol
• 38 inpatient facilities with continuous care in a safe living environment
• 9 hospital inpatient facilities that offer specialized care connected to a hospital lasting days or weeks
• 35 facilities with programs targeted to patients with a dual diagnosis of mental health issues and substance use disorder
• 127 outpatient centers with flexible treatment options that allow you to continue going to work or school
• 14 transitional housing facilities where people can live after finishing treatment and before going to live on their own

Often, people in addiction treatment will start at one level of treatment and then move through the continuum of care as they start to improve. Detox, or ridding the body of substances, is often the first step. From there, people typically choose between inpatient or outpatient treatment depending on their personal needs and the severity of their addiction.

Support groups targeted to drug and alcohol addiction create a caring environment where people at all stages of recovery can engage, educate, and help each other. These groups are often free and open to anyone looking to continue their recovery journey.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are 2 examples of support groups that follow the 12-Step process. AA and NA use a sponsorship-type of model where people who have been in recovery for a longer time serve as mentors or sponsors to support newer members.

There are several AA meetings located less than 2 miles from Ridgefield Park.⁷ The Sahara Club, 24 River Rd., in Bogota, offers meetings at various times 7 days a week.⁷ The closest NA meeting is in Leonia, which is just over 1 mile away from Ridgefield Park.⁸ Meetings are held at Overpeck Park at 40 Fort Lee Road on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.⁸

There are several things common to AA and NA meetings. These include opening and closing statements or prayers, a reading of the 12 Steps, and recognition of those members who have achieved certain milestones in their recovery, such as a 30-day sobriety chip.

Sources:

1. State of New Jersey Department of Health. (2020). New Jersey overdose data dashboard naloxone (Narcan).
2. DeMarco, J. (2020, November 6). Heroes: Ridgefield Park police revive two OD victims at once.
3. DeMarco, J. (2022, June 20). Philly ride-share driver busted in Bergen County, 4,650 heroin folds seized.
4. New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. (2021). Substance abuse overview 2020 Bergen County.
5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). National survey of substance abuse treatment services.
7. Northern New Jersey Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). Nearby meetings for Ridgefield Park, NJ.
8. Narcotics Anonymous. (n.d.). NA meeting search.