TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie has drawn accolades for his work addressing the opiate problem in New Jersey and elsewhere.
But advocates and addicts say he is helping those already in trouble with the law and failing those looking to get clean before they find themselves in jail.
The praise he receives is coupled with complaints of sometimes monthslong waiting lists to get into drug treatment, as well as a delayed effort to raise Medicaid rates that is stretching an already strained system to help addicts.
The Republican presidential candidate says putting more people in the pipeline for treatment is encouraging the private sector to offer more services.
State estimates show that 40 percent of the 79,000 people in need of substance abuse treatment in New Jersey in 2014 didn’t get it.
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