By Stephen Appezzato
MIDDLETOWN – The township will soon launch Wellness Wheels, providing free local health care transportation to residents either with or at-risk for substance use disorders or who are seeking mental health services. The program, funded through a portion of opioid settlement funds awarded by the state, aims to provide reliable transportation in an area with limited public transportation, officials said.
At a public meeting Feb. 3, the township committee unanimously approved an agreement with Uber Health for the program. The contract, valued up to $90,000 over the next three years, was paid for with opioid settlement funds, making Middletown the first municipality in Monmouth County to use the payments in this manner.
“We worked collaboratively with the county to determine what are the appropriate measures to utilize this opioid money,” said Mayor Tony Perry. “To not take that money and reinvest it into helping people… would be a missed opportunity,” he said.
According to National Institutes of Health studies, one of the main barriers to accessing health care services is a lack of adequate and affordable transportation, particularly for individuals who do not own a vehicle or are unable to drive.
The township noted that public transportation options in Middletown are limited in both availability and accessibility, making it difficult for some residents who rely on it to reach necessary medical appointments. Wellness Wheels is designed to ensure residents do not miss critical health care visits.
The program “will allow for individuals to call town hall up and, partnering with Uber, we will now be able to get people who might not otherwise be able to get to their doctor’s appointments, get them to that location so that they don’t have to worry about missing an appointment,” said Perry. Once the program goes live, residents can call town hall and relay their appointment information. “We’ll handle the scheduling of the ride for them,” he added.
According to the state website, in 2022 New Jersey reached an agreement in a national lawsuit against four companies for their role in the opioid crisis. “These lawsuits hold prescription opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable for their role in creating and fueling the opioid epidemic,” a memo read.
As a result, more than $1 billion in settlement funds will be made to New Jersey by 2038. Half of this will be distributed to 262 local government agencies, which include all 21 counties, as well as municipalities with populations greater than 10,000. According to the Monmouth County 2024 Opioid Abatement Report, Middletown received $414,662.58 in settlement funds from 2022 through the submission of the report Sept. 2024. These funds are allocated to treatment, prevention, and harm reduction strategies.
According to the township, in 2023 there were 25 Narcan deployments, all resulting in successful saves with no overdose deaths. In 2024, there were 14 Narcan deployments, with 10 lives saved and four overdose deaths.
“The health and wellness of our residents is of utmost importance,” said Mayor Perry. “We hope our community members will take advantage of this unique program that will help ease overall health barriers caused by limited transportation options while also paving a path toward wellness.”
The township expects the Wellness Wheels program to be operational by April. Residents seeking more information or wishing to schedule transportation can contact the Middletown Township Health Department at 732-615-2277 or visit middletownnj.org/wellnesswheels.
The article originally appeared in the February 20 – 26, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
