Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the award of three grants, totaling $19 million, to expand addiction services in New York State. The funding will be used to improve integration between primary and behavioral health care, expand and enhance medication-assisted treatment programs, and to expand services for pregnant and postpartum women diagnosed with a substance use disorder. The grants were awarded to the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and will be administered by the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene.
“Addiction and substance abuse have torn apart families and devastated lives and it is critical that we continue to offer the supportive services these individuals need to get their lives on track,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding will provide critical access to treatment in communities across the state, helping to create a safer and healthier New York for all.”
“New York has taken bold and aggressive action to tackle the substance abuse crisis head on, but we also have to ensure that the necessary supports are available to help people recover from addiction,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, co-chair of the Governor’s task force to combat heroin and opioid addiction. “These grants will help expand and enhance services, and will be particularly beneficial to helping pregnant and postpartum women struggling with addiction.”
OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said, “By working to bolster treatment and supports for people battling addiction, Governor Cuomo continues to show his commitment to improving New Yorker’s lives. The programing announced today will help us further expand our lifesaving services and reach more people in need.”
Funding was awarded through the following three grants:
Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care
$10 million has been awarded to New York State under the Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care program. The funding will be disbursed over five years and will strengthen services for New Yorkers suffering from a substance use disorder, with specific focus on opioid use disorders. The project will integrate SUD treatment, primary health, and mental health, through partnerships with the Acacia Network and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, in the Bronx and Albany.
The initiative’s primary goals are to build comprehensive, integrated care models into the three participating Opioid Treatment Programs; develop techniques for identification, intervention, and administering medication assisted treatment into the three participating primary care and mental health clinics; provide whole person care to more than 2,200 people with a substance use disorder, to improve physical and behavioral health outcomes; and collect and disseminate data about the pilot programs that will help other providers deliver similar services throughout the state.
In the Bronx, services will be provided in two areas:
- Community District 1, which includes the neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Melrose, and Port Morris, and
- Community District 5, which covers the neighborhoods of Fordham, Morris Heights, Mount Hope, and University Heights.
In District 1, services will be provided at the Ramon Velez Health Center, and in District 5 services will be provided at the Clay Avenue Family Health Center. Both districts were among the top five for opioid overdose deaths in New York City in 2016. Both were also designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for Primary Care and Mental Health, as well as Medically Underserved Areas/Populations by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration.
In Albany, OASAS will provide integrated services in the West Hill neighborhood. The hub of the services will be the Camino Nuevo OTP. According to the Capital District Community Needs Assessment in 2016, the West Hill/South End neighborhood had hospitalization and emergency department visit rates more than three times higher than the rest of the state outside of New York City. Albany County residents also had a higher than average prevalence of respiratory illnesses, diabetes, and infectious diseases.
Medication-Assisted Treatment Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction
$5.7 million has been awarded through the Medication-Assisted Treatment Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction program, to expand and enhance Medication-Assisted Treatment services in New York State. The funding will be distributed to the following three providers, over the course of three years:
- Mid-Hudson – Lexington Center, Dutchess County
- New York City – VIP Community Services, Bronx County
- Western NY – UPMC Chautauqua WCA, Chautauqua County
The funded organizations will increase capacity to provide Medication Assisted Treatment services in their regions and improve their ability to engage and retain people receiving care. Funding will also be used to increase staffing levels. The exact amount that each provider will receive will be determined at a later date. Providers were chosen based on the need for services in their areas and whether they had received funding to expand MAT services in the past. Each recipient will provide services on a regional basis.
State Pilot Grant for Treatment of Pregnant and Postpartum Women: Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act
$3.3 million has been awarded to expand services for pregnant and postpartum women who have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder. The goal is to increase the availability of long-term recovery support for substance use and addiction. A total of $1.1 million will be distributed under this grant for each of the next three years, split between the following providers:
- Central NY – Crouse Hospital, Onondaga County
- Mid-Hudson – Lexington Center for Recovery, Westchester County
The third provider will be in New York City and will be selected through a future Request for Proposals.
Congressman Eliot Engel said, “The opioid crisis demands our attention and requires nothing short of immediate action,” Congressman Eliot Engel said. “New Yorkers and their families are struggling with this problem every day, in record numbers. Just yesterday, I met with addiction specialists in my office to discuss the work they’re doing in my district to help those struggling with addiction. They made clear that additional resources to help fight this problem are desperately needed, so I thank Governor Cuomo for using this federal funding to expand access to addiction services throughout the state.”
Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey said, “Communities across the country, including here in New York, are working hard to solve the drug addiction crisis. I am pleased that this funding will provide relief to pregnant and postpartum women in Westchester County who are suffering from a substance abuse disorder. As Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, I am committed to ensuring New York continues to receive the necessary resources to expand addiction services and combat this crisis.”
Congressman José E. Serrano said, “We are facing an addiction crisis in our country and unfortunately this is a major issue in the Bronx. Thanks to this federal funding, two health centers that are part of the Acacia Network, the Ramon Velez Health Center and the Clay Avenue Family Health Center in the Bronx, will be able to strengthen services needed to help identify and treat individuals with substance use disorders. By investing in this type of program, we are investing in our communities’ public health and its families’ well-being.”
Congressman Paul Tonko said, “Last year alone, the opioid epidemic took 64,000 lives. In communities throughout Upstate New York, we know the pain of addiction. Today’s announcement allows us to tackle this problem head on. I applaud the Governor’s work to expand access to medication-assisted treatment and integrate behavioral and primary health care services. In Congress and at the federal level, these have long been my top priorities. I will continue to fight for individuals struggling with addiction, their families and our communities.”
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney said, “Talk to police officers throughout the Hudson Valley and they’ll tell you they arrest the same people for minor drug crimes over and over again. We can’t just treat the heroin and opioid crisis like a criminal justice issue because it’s not getting the job done. Addiction is also a public health issue. I want to thank Governor Cuomo for helping our communities in Dutchess and Westchester Counties expand treatment programs instead of treating incarceration as the only solution to this epidemic – it’s time to open up our toolbox and use everything we have.”
Congressman John Katko said, “Heroin addiction and synthetic drug abuse is a problem that many people living in Central New York face daily. As a former federal prosecutor, I have seen firsthand how drugs, and addiction, tear families apart and ruin lives. Addiction service centers are a way for our communities to come together, and fight against drug addiction. I am proud to support this funding for recovery and rehab facilities.”
The amount of funding each provider will receive will be determined at a later date. The state will work with each of the selected providers to increase access to treatment for pregnant women and new mothers, and to provide gender-specific and family-centered treatment. Funding recipients were selected by reviewing providers with existing women’s programs and examining the number of pregnant women they admitted into treatment in 2016. Each provider will deliver services in their local area.
Visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov for more information on addressing heroin and prescription opioid abuse, including a Kitchen Table Tool Kit to help start the conversation about the warning signs of addiction and where to get help. For tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing alcohol or drug use, visit the State’s Talk2Prevent website. New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
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