Governor Hochul recently announced the availability of $9.5 million to expand evidence-based practices for substance use disorder prevention services to youth, families, and communities in New York State. This federal funding will help support providers who had delivery of their services impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal funding is being administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
The New York State Capitol Building
“The ongoing stress and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has made substance abuse and overdoses rise across the state, and we must do all we can to ensure that New Yorkers are able to access the treatment, support, and resources they need,” Governor Hochul said. “Not only will this funding allow providers and communities to continue their important work to prevent addiction, but is part of my administration’s ongoing commitment to promote and protect the health of all New Yorkers.”
NYS Governor Kathy Hochul
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, OASAS has recognized the value and necessity of prevention services, especially for youth, families, young adults, and communities. Like many support services, the prevention field had to pivot from in-person prevention practices to a virtual model or using alternate locations. This made the vast majority of prevention providers shift to remote delivery of prevention services.
This federal funding will provide greater access to prevention strategies in communities across the state and will allow providers to continue to support both the delivery of new prevention services through start-up funding and the continued delivery of existing services through updated programs. Providers may also use this funding to upgrade their IT systems, such as improved hardware and software, as well as subscriptions video conferencing platforms.
This is the first comprehensive RFA to support expanding prevention infrastructure to full complement services for youth, families, and communities. Eligible providers may apply for up to $70,000 in funding by visiting https://oasas.ny.gov/request-applications.
Chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Senator Pete Harckham said, “Providers of substance use disorder prevention services and programs across New York will greatly benefit from the new state funding—and just in time. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly complicated the work of providers just when residents needed assistance most, and more resources will bolster necessary alternatives to in-person programs. I appreciate Governor Hochul’s strong commitment to safeguarding the health of all New Yorkers and making these funds available for addiction prevention.”
Assemblymember Phil Steck, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse said, “Thank you, once again, to Governor Hochul for her leadership in disseminating funding for the services that so many New Yorkers and their families need to move forward in their addiction and mental health journey. COVID’s effect on our youth and young adults will have a lasting impact in our communities and these programs are imperative to making a positive change.”
Over the past several years, OASAS has instituted an aggressive, multi-pronged approach to addressing the opioid epidemic, and created a nation-leading continuum of addiction care with full prevention, treatment, and recovery services. To combat this epidemic, the state has worked to expand access to traditional services, including crisis services, inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment programs, as well as medication-assisted treatment, and mobile treatment and transportation services.
Governor Hochul was a member of the NYS Heroin and Opioid Task Force, which in 2016, recommended new, non-traditional services, including recovery centers, youth clubhouses, expanded peer services, and open access centers, which provide immediate assessments and referrals to care. These services have since been established in numerous communities around the state, and have helped people in need access care closer to where they live.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.
If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or email at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.
