Behavioral Health News Spotlight on Excellence: An Interview with Mary Brewster, Associate Commissioner for Harm Reduction at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)

• By: Staff Writer Behavioral Health News
• October 23rd, 2023
• addiction, buprenorphine, compassionate care, drug overdose deaths, Fall 2023 Issue, fentanyl testing, harm reduction, HIV/AIDS epidemic, life-saving care, low-threshold services, medication-assisted treatment, naloxone distribution, non-stigmatizing language, opioid epidemic, opioid use disorder, saving lives, stigma reduction, substance use disorder, syringe exchange programs
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Overview David Minot, Executive Director of Mental Health News Education, the non-profit organization that publishes Behavioral Health News, interviewed Mary Brewster, Associate Commissioner for Harm Reduction at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The mission of...

The Long History and Bright Future of Harm Reduction in New York State

• By: Mary Brewster, MSW Dr. Kelly Ramsey, MD, MPH, MA, FACP, DFSAM NY State Office of Addiction Supports and Services (OASAS)
• October 23rd, 2023
• abstinence, addiction, AIDS, Fall 2023 Issue, harm reduction, injection drug use, medication-assisted treatment, naloxone, OASAS, opioids, overdose, people who use drugs, prevention, recovery, substance use, syringe services programs, treatment
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For the past year, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) has implemented a new division among its pillars of prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The newly formed Division of Harm Reduction seeks to bring both the harm reduction philosophy and its practical...

Harm Reduction: A Bridge Back to Life

• By: Rebecca Linn-Walton, PhD, LCSW Services for the UnderServed (S:US)
• October 23rd, 2023
• compassionate interactions, Fall 2023 Issue, harm reduction, harm reduction practices, medication-assisted treatment, Narcan, opioid epidemic, overdose crisis, person-centered care, substance use, supportive housing, wellness coaches
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Harm reduction is a decades-long, well-established, effective tool in reducing illnesses, deaths, and other negative consequences of problematic substance use (Jones et al., 2022). This approach has never been more important as in the current overdose crisis (Perera et al., 2022). Harm reduction...