Funding will Support Up to 18 Comprehensive Integrated Outpatient Treatment Programs Designed to Increase Access to Medication to Address Opioid Use Disorder
Grants Awarded Through New York State’s Opioid Settlement Fund
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Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the availability of more than $8.6 million to develop comprehensive integrated outpatient treatment programs to address opioid use disorder across New York State. Administered by the State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the funding will support up to 18 providers in their efforts to establish these innovative programs and is the latest award through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund.
“Like too many New Yorkers, I know what it’s like to lose a family member to the disease of opioid addiction,” Governor Hochul said. “These innovative outpatient treatment programs tap Opioid Settlement Fund money in order to greatly expand and enhance our services and address the harm that this epidemic has caused countless New Yorkers.”
Comprehensive integrated outpatient treatment programs provide more opportunities to access person-centered comprehensive services – including medication treatment for opioid use disorder – and are a new initiative to address the ongoing need for integrated treatment in New York State. These programs are designed to make it easier for New Yorkers seeking treatment for a substance use disorder to access multiple services in one location.
Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said, “Medication treatment for opioid use disorder is safe and effective and is proven to help support overall health and well-being among people with addiction. Establishing these comprehensive integrated programs is an important priority and will help more people access critical help to benefit their short and long-term recovery.”
Acting State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “The opioid epidemic has taken the lives of far too many. All New Yorkers deserve compassionate care and access to treatment and these programs will save lives. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to ensuring those who struggle with opioid addiction have the resources they need to start a path of recovery.”
Providers can apply for funding to support existing integrated programs, combine existing opioid treatment and outpatient programs, or develop new integrated programs. Funding will be awarded through a request for applications process.
New York State will receive more than $2 billion through various settlement agreements with opioid manufacturers. A portion of the funding from these settlements will go directly to municipalities, with the remainder deposited into a dedicated fund to support prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery efforts to address the ongoing opioid epidemic.
The same legislation that established the dedicated fund also created the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board, which is tasked with making recommendations on how settlement dollars should be allocated to best serve those in need. Board members issued their first recommendations on November 1, identifying the expansion of harm reduction services and treatment as top priorities.
New York continued to grapple with opioid-related deaths in 2021, with fentanyl now involved in most overdose deaths statewide, according to a report released by the state Department of Health. Other key findings include:
- 4,766 overdose deaths involving opioids, a 14 percent increase over the prior year.
- 10,430 outpatient emergency department visits due to opioid overdoses, a 12.6 percent increase over the prior year.
- 19,139 instances of naloxone being administered by Emergency Medical Services, an 11.8 percent increase over the prior year.
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “It is essential that we increase services and resources for those struggling with opioid use disorder, and I am confident that the Governor is committed to this issue with the recent funding for these comprehensive outpatient treatment programs. The right use of the Opioid Settlement Fund is to provide person-centered programs like these, which makes use of life-saving medication.”
New York State has instituted an aggressive, multi-pronged approach to address the overdose epidemic, and created a nation-leading continuum of addiction care with full prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services. The State has worked to expand access to traditional services, including crisis services, inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment programs, as well as medication to treat addiction, mobile treatment, and transportation services.
Governor Hochul was a member of the New York State 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-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, 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 [email protected].