New York, NY - February 7, 2019 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than $7.5 million in funding is available to enhance addiction prevention, treatment and recovery services in New York State. The funding will be awarded through a series of Requests for Applications issued by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
"We are committed to fighting addiction and ensuring all New Yorkers have the resources and support they need for recovery," Governor Cuomo said. "As we build on the progress we have made to combat this disease across the state, we will continue to fund these ongoing initiatives to promote a stronger and healthier New York State."
"This funding for recovery, treatment, and support services for those struggling with addiction continues our aggressive efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in New York State," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, co-chair of the NYS Heroin and Opioid Abuse Task Force, who made today's announcement at an opioid forum in Suffolk County. "The opioid crisis continues to claim the lives of too many New Yorkers, and we're committed to investing in programs that will help end these tragedies once and for all."
The following funding opportunities are available through this initiative.
$3,500,000 to Establish Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Services in Federally Qualified Health Centers in Partnership with OASAS Certified Treatment Programs: OASAS will issue up to 10 awards of up to $350,000 each to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). This funding will help enable FQHCs to establish opioid use disorder services, including increasing prescriber capacity, counseling, behavioral therapies, and recovery supports. Staff will be trained on the utilization of all three FDA-approved medications used in the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder. One award will be issued to a FQHC in each of the 10 Empire State Development Regions. FQHCs must partner with at least one OASAS-certified provider to receive funding.
$1,750,000 to Facilitate the Process of Buprenorphine Induction in Hospital Emergency Departments and Linkage to Community Based Treatment using Peers: Up to five awards of $350,000 each will be issued to expand the availability of buprenorphine to treat addiction in emergency departments. The funding will be used to train staff in hospital emergency departments on Medication Assisted Treatment, how to screen for and respond to instances of opioid misuse, and the implementation of protocols to link patients with peers and community-based treatment providers. OASAS identified applicants in areas of high unmet need for this service. Eligible applicants are emergency departments in the following counties: Allegheny, Bronx, Brooklyn, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chenango, Delaware, Essex, Hamilton, Nassau, Richmond, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and Warren. Emergency departments must partner with an OASAS-certified outpatient program to receive funding, with a maximum amount of $350,000 per partnership ($200,000 for emergency department and $150,000 for provider).
$1,815,000 to Implement PAX Good Behavior Game in Classrooms to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder: OASAS will issue up to 11 awards, with a maximum amount of $165,000 each, to expand the use of the PAX Good Behavior Game, an evidence-based prevention program. This initiative uses a classroom-wide game format with teams and reinforcement to equip students with the skills necessary for self-regulation. Research has shown this reduces aggression and disruptive behavior, which are risk factors for adolescent and adult illicit drug use. Funding will help train prevention staff in the PAX Good Behavior Game, who will partner with teachers to implement the program. These providers must have existing formal relationships with school districts, or individual schools, or must establish them for this project.
$410,000 to Deliver Strengthening Families Program (SFP) to families residing in Upstate New York Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Erie, Albany and Schenectady counties: Two awards of up to $205,000 each will be issued to support the expanded use of the Strengthening Families Program, an evidence-based prevention program, which is designed to help families maintain stability, and reduce the likelihood of substance use disorders. Under this initiative, prevention program staff will be trained in this program, and will deliver it to families in OASAS Permanent Supportive Housing programs in Erie, Albany, & Schenectady Counties.
$100,000 to Create Peer-driven Recovery Networks for Youth and Young Adults: OASAS will issue up to 10 awards, with a maximum amount of $10,000 each, to support in-person or virtual networking among youth and young adults in recovery from substance use disorders, as well as activities that promote recovery. Successful applicants will participate in the New York State Alumni Network and collaborate with Youth Voices Matter, a statewide network of youth and young adults in recovery.
"Our efforts to fight addiction in New York State are working, and this new funding will continue the great work initiated by Governor Cuomo to increase the availability of services in every part of the state," New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. "We look forward to these expansions and enhancements, which will give more New Yorkers the ability to access services closer to where they live."
Senator Pete Harckham, 40th Senate District, Chairman of the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Committee said, "Substance abuse and addiction can be found in every city, town and county in New York State, in every age group and in every socio-economic group. This new, important funding announced by Governor Cuomo will make critical treatment programs available to more addicted individuals and help New York's communities and families better deal with the deadly scourge of addiction that is ending way too many lives."
The full RFAs for each of these initiatives can be viewed here.
Since taking office, Governor Cuomo 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 Governor 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.
In 2016, Governor Cuomo's Heroin Task Force recommended new, non-traditional services, including recovery centers, youth clubhouses, expanded peer services, and 24/7 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.
The Governor has advanced legislative and regulatory reform to enable people to get treatment faster by eliminating many insurance restrictions, as well as legislation to reduce most opioid prescriptions from 30 days to seven days, and legislation to increase training and education for prescribers. Governor Cuomo has also taken action to combat patient brokering and fraudulent addiction treatment services.
The Governor has also worked to increase training and availability of naloxone, resulting in more than 300,000 individuals in New York State being trained and equipped with the opioid overdose reversal medication. Through Governor Cuomo's actions, pharmacies around New York State are now able to provide naloxone without a prescription.
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).
Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website. Visit CombatAddiction.ny.gov to learn more about the warning signs of addiction, review information on how to get help, and access resources on how to facilitate conversations with loved ones and communities about addiction. For tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing alcohol or drug use, visit the state's Talk2Prevent website.