OASAS Released the following Press Release this July:
Family of Services Morning Star II Facility Will Add 14 Beds for Women and Children
The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services announced the expansion of the Morning Star II residential addiction treatment facility for women and children. The facility will now make 23 beds available for treatment, an increase from the original capacity of nine beds. The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), provided nearly $1 million in capital funding for renovations to the facility and annual operational funding.
“The expansion of this addiction treatment facility will help to ensure that women and their children are cared for and safe,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Chair of the Heroin and Opioid Abuse Task Force. “When an individual is struggling with addiction, their families are often also affected. The addition of 14 new beds for those seeking treatment will provide the resources needed to help women travel down the road to recovery and keep families together during challenging times.”
“With this expansion, we are ensuring that additional need will be met,” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “By offering a dedicated facility that allows women to have their children stay with them, it removes a major barrier that keeps many women from seeking treatment for addiction. I thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing this need, and taking steps to expand this important service.”
In addition to residential treatment for addiction, the Morning Star II facility also offers other services for women in recovery, including job training, child care, counseling, and recreational activities. The facility is operated by SCO Family of Services, and is located on the Madonna Heights campus at 151 Burrs Lane, Dix Hills, 11746. The addition of these beds supports New York State’s efforts to provide a full continuum of residential care for people suffering from addiction by incorporating the three essential elements of treatment: stabilization, rehabilitation, and re-integration.
This expansion is part of Governor Cuomo’s innovative multi-pronged approach to address the opioid epidemic by expanding and enhancing services including treatment facilities, recovery centers, youth clubhouses, Health Hubs, and regional addiction resource centers, which provide services and information in a stigma free and supportive environment. The Governor has expanded the range of services and supports aimed at harm reduction and has launched targeted initiatives to enhance access to life-saving addiction medication. Other recovery supports include investments in Certified Recovery Peer Advocates and recovery coaches. These efforts have led to the creation of the largest recovery support network in the country.
Additionally, under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York State has developed one of the most comprehensive opioid overdose prevention programs in the country. Over 300,000 individuals have been trained on opioid overdose prevention and equipped with naloxone, the medication used to reverse an overdose. The Governor has also changed the insurance laws to make immediate access to all addiction treatment a reality in New York State, and has taken action to crack down on patient brokering. To learn more about services in your region, click here.
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.