Substance use treatment and overdose patterns in high and low social vulnerability counties: a trends analysis in New Jersey from 2014–2022

Findings demonstrate that county-level social vulnerability status is associated with substance use treatment admissions and overdose patterns. Specifically, high vulnerability counties exhibit consistently higher rates of substance use treatment admissions, naloxone administrations, and overdose deaths. This pattern highlights a need for expanded substance use services along the continuum of care for vulnerable areas and the viability of SVI status as a useful and simple tool for targeting service expansion efforts.