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Expand Harm Reduction Services to Address Impact of Overdose Crisis on Older Adults
The devastating impact of the overdose crisis in the United States has been well-documented, affecting people from all backgrounds, demographics, and geographic regions. The data tells us that one age group in particular has been overlooked in the overdose crisis – older adults. The rate...
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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)
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...
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Harm Reduction in Treatment: A Simplified Overview
In the past, harm reduction was mainly associated with distributing clean needles to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2022), there were over 100,000 deaths related to drug overdoses in 2022. Treatment has evolved to...
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Reducing Opioid Overdose Deaths: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Responses
Let us address the epidemiology of overdose deaths in New York City. Like cities and states around the United States, New York City is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. In 2016, someone died every seven hours of an overdose in New York City, resulting in 1,374 confirmed deaths. More New...
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The Doctor Will Actually See You Now
In New York City only 1 out of 10 adults struggling with substance use issues accesses any form of clinical care. This profound treatment gap – the mismatch between community need and clinical care – perpetuates our city’s escalating opioid crisis. Barriers to addiction treatment are well...
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Integration of Naloxone Distribution in a Federally Qualified Health Center
As the opioid epidemic has become a growing public health crisis in New York and the greater United States, it is incumbent upon health care centers to expand our ability to treat those in need. As of one the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in New York State, providing integrated...
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New York State Office of Mental Health Using Medication-Assisted Treatment and Other Resources to Fight the Opioid Epidemic
Every day, more than 130 people die in the United States as a result of opioid overdose. The opioid abuse epidemic has become a national public health crisis with devastating economic, societal and human costs. People with mental illnesses served in the public mental health system have...
