Racial Justice, Harm Reduction and All Pathways of Recovery

FOR-NY is an anti-racist organization that embraces the lifesaving principles of harm reduction and all pathways of recovery. We are dedicated to eliminating racial injustice and the stigma associated with addiction and active use. We are committed to promoting an ongoing process of healing and reconciliation in order to dismantle racism and inequity. Our organization’s values are rooted in the belief that all members of our community are valued at all levels.

Friends of Recovery – New York (FOR-NY) is a statewide Recovery Community Organization (RCO) dedicated to advocating with and on behalf of millions of individuals and families impacted by addiction and recovery across New York State. Together, we work to educate decision makers and the general public on the power and promise of recovery.

The FOR-NY October 2022 Survey was distributed to the NYS Recovery Community and results have reconfirmed the following four identified priorities from our 2020, 2021 and 2022 Policy Statements: #1 Housing; #2 Personalized Treatment and Treatment on Demand; #3 Recovery Oriented Systems of Care; #4 Transportation; and Equitable Funding Opportunities. The survey results have also reaffirmed the value of our policy position on racial justice. As informed by the survey results and the NYS Recovery Community. As a community, we call on the Governor and the NYS Legislature to take immediate action to address these priorities and the addiction crisis in NYS:

Priority #1. Access to permanent and sustainable funding

• 20% of the Opioid Stewardship fund be used for Recovery services and supports
• Creating permanent and sustainable funding for ALL community-based programs regardless of size, location or affiliations
• commitment to substance use disorder comparable to mental health funding in NYS
• Create a permanent funding model to ensure at least one Recovery Community Organization (RCO), Recovery Community Outreach Center (RCOC) and Youth Clubhouse in each county and ensure that at least two Certified Recovery Peer Advocates and two Certified Family Support Navigators exist in every county in NY
• Including Certified Recovery Peer Advocates, and the services they provide, to the NYS 1115 Medicaid Waiver

Priority #2. Access to peer led-, peer- driven recovery housing that supports medicated assisted recovery

• Housing funded across the continuum
• Introducing and passing the Model Recovery Residence Certification Act

Priority #3. Anti-stigma in behavioral health (mental health and substance use), including parity

• Parity enforcement for reimbursement rates relating to SUD
• Equitable insurance support akin to mental health services
• Aligning reimbursement rates promotes a fair approach to treatment, recovery, and harm reduction. This parity can improve access to care, reduce stigma, and enhance overall recovery outcomes.
• Enforcement of MHPE. Parity can improve access to care, reduce stigma, and enhance overall recovery outcomes
• Improved Outcomes for Those in Treatment and Recovery with Current or Former Criminal Justice Involvement

Priority #4. Access to Transportation

• Development of statewide non-clinical, recovery supportive transportation services program.
• Ensuring peer-led transportation is reimbursable under the Medicaid 1115 waiver in all social care networks
• Expand sustainable transportation opportunities within Rural Communities

Priority #5. Employment opportunities for individuals in Recovery and establishment of Recovery Friendly Workplaces

• Pass The Recovery Ready Workplace Act
• Ensure a livable wage and employment opportunities for the Peer Workforce
• Increase education and training for Employers reducing stigma in the workplace, adoption of Department of Labor best practices to support individuals in the workplaces

Priority #6. Access to on-demand recovery support services

• Anyone must have 24/7 access detox, treatment, recovery support services and a comprehensive wrap around services program
• Pass legislation that prohibits correctional facilities from denying entry to peer support advocates participating in the provision of corrections-based substance use disorder treatment and transition services based on such advocates’ prior history of incarceration
• Preservation and expansion of Medicated Supported Recovery (Buprenorphine and Methadone
• Allow buprenorphine to be prescribed via telehealth beyond 2025