What's happening around New York in Recovery - Friends of Recovery

NYS OASAS ANNOUNCES LATEST EFFORTS TO PREVENT TREATMENT FRAUD AND ILLEGAL PATIENT BROKERING: NEW PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS HIGHLIGHTING NEW YORK STATE’S 900+ TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Ads Will Run on Radio Stations in New York City, Albany, and on Long Island in both English and Spanish. The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services today announced a new campaign featuring Public Service Announcements to raise awareness of the problem of patient brokering and treatment fraud, and to publicize the more than 900 certified addiction treatment programs available in New York State. Patient brokering is a practice in which brokers collect payment from addiction treatment providers outside of New York State, in exchange for referring patients to those programs. Often, the care offered by these out-of-state providers is more expensive and lower quality than care in New York State. This action follows Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s directive to crack down on treatment fraud in New York State. The PSAs will run on radio stations in New York City, Albany, and on Long Island, in both English and Spanish. Both versions of the ad are available here.

“New York is taking unprecedented steps to combat the opioid epidemic and protect and save lives across the State,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the NYS Heroin and Opioid Abuse Task Force. “This Administration is urging individuals to be aware of possible scams and seek help through state-certified treatment programs to ensure safe and reliable services.”

“With more than 900 state-certified treatment programs in our state, New Yorkers suffering from the disease of addiction should seek treatment here first,” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “Governor Cuomo’s ongoing efforts to combat the practice of patient brokering send a strong message that he takes the health of New Yorkers very seriously.”

“We need to ensure that individuals struggling with addiction are receiving safe and dependable services in New York State,” said Senator George Amedore, Chair of the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Committee. “I have supported legislation in the Senate that takes the appropriate steps to prohibit individuals from exploiting families and patients when they are most vulnerable. These public service announcements are a needed step to ensure those suffering from addiction are protected from this predatory behavior.”

“The opioid epidemic has left no region of our state unscathed. Sadly, in the midst of this horrific tragedy, scammers have seen opportunity for exploitation of the most vulnerable,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. “As the sponsor of legislation to prohibit payment for patient referrals in drug treatment centers within our state, I stand behind any effort to shine light on this repugnant practice. In the midst of this growing epidemic, we cannot allow anyone struggling with substance use disorder to be pinballed between predatory conmen and must do all that we can to connect people with treatment tailored to their needs.”

These PSAs are the latest step in an ongoing campaign aimed at stopping patient brokering in New York State. OASAS recently issued a directive that requires referrals to be delivered by OASAS-certified and -credentialed professionals, who are prohibited from receiving referral fees. New Yorkers can report suspicious activity by calling 1-800-553-5790 or emailing [email protected].

The campaign started late last year, with a series of posters encouraging people to report patient brokering activities to OASAS. The posters are available for download here and can also be seen at treatment programs across the state. 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.

For Immediate Release: 2/13/2018 GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO

GOVERNOR CUOMO AWARDS MORE THAN $4 MILLION TO EXPAND ACCESS TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES ACROSS NEW YORK

10 New 24/7 Open Access Centers Will Provide Immediate Support for New Yorkers in Need of Addiction Services

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today awarded more than $4 million to develop 10 24/7 Open Access Centers to deliver immediate engagement, assessment and referral service options to New Yorkers seeking treatment for substance abuse. The centers, to be located statewide, further advance the Governor’s aggressive efforts to combat addiction in New York State and proactively address the public health problem of addiction to prescription opioids and heroin.

“Substance abuse knows no age, knows no income and knows no zip code in New York or across the nation,” Governor Cuomo said. “With these around-the-clock Open Access Centers, we can provide critical services night and day to New Yorkers when they need it most.”

The primary goal of Open Access Centers is to ensure that anyone in need of substance use disorder services has immediate access to addiction treatment services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Staff will be on-hand to help people, family members and law enforcement with addiction treatment services. Staff will also be available or on-call to provide an immediate assessment and referral to the appropriate level of care.

“These new centers will make a significant impact in communities around our state by ensuring that anyone who needs services or interventions will be able to receive help right away, no matter the time or day of the week,” New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “They also provide the necessary responsive, compassionate assistance and support needed to help New Yorkers successfully start their recovery journeys.”

The new centers will be in nine of the state’s 10 economic development regions, apart from Central New York, where Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare recently opened a center in October 2017 through a locally issued, state-funded procurement.

The following programs were selected to receive funding through a request for applications OASAS issued in 2017:

Capital Region
• Albany County Department of Mental Health, $248,700
Counties to be Served: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren and Washington

Finger Lakes
• Wayne County Department of Mental Health, $450,000
Counties Served: Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Yates, Livingston, Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans and Monroe

Mohawk Valley
• The Neighborhood Center Inc., $450,000
Counties to be Served: Oneida, Herkimer, Otsego, Montgomery, Delaware, Chenango and Schoharie

North Country
• St. Joseph’s Addiction and Recovery Center, $450,000
Counties to be Served: Essex, St. Lawrence, Clinton and Franklin

Western New York
• Horizon Village, $450,000
Counties to be Served: Erie, Niagara, Allegany, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus

Long Island
• Family and Children’s Association, $450,000
Counties to be Served: Nassau and Suffolk

Mid-Hudson
• Lexington Center for Recovery, Inc., $450,000
Counties to be Served: Putnam, Westchester and Rockland

New York City
• The Resource Training Center, $388,600
Counties to be Served: Brooklyn and Queens

• VIP Community Services, $260,000
Counties to be Served: Bronx

Southern Tier
• Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County, $450,000
Counties to be Served: Tompkins, Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler and Tioga

Senator George Amedore, Chair of the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Committee said, “Access to opioid addiction treatment and services can mean the difference between life or death. The funding that we have secured to open these new access centers will ensure that individuals struggling with addiction receive the appropriate care and treatment they need.”

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse said, “Communities across the state continue to struggle with opioid addiction, and overdose deaths now outpace deaths from breast cancer and vehicle collisions. We can help save lives if we provide treatment and recovery services that are accessible to people where they live. This desperately needed funding helps move us in the right direction, and people on ground need additional resources to help turn the tide in the fight against this disease. I look forward to continuing to work to ensure that the needed resources are directed to the communities that need them.”

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 or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

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.

A combination of factors, including laws, stigma, and fear of liability, make it extremely challenging for individuals with criminal records to find employment.
This 2-hour webinar explains how New Yorkers with criminal records can improve their chances of finding employment despite the barriers having a criminal record might pose.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:
• Describe the laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on a criminal record
• Describe how employers obtain criminal record information;
• Identify cities with ban-the-box laws;
• Describe how to get and correct errors on rap sheets (criminal history information);
• Describe basic facts about Certificates of Relief from Disabilities and Good Conduct;
• Advise clients how to address a criminal record when filling out job applications;
• Identify useful resources to help clients overcome criminal record-related job discrimination
Audience: NYS health and social service providers working with HIV-positive individuals who have criminal records – especially those seeking employment.
________________________________________
Location: NYS wide webinar. For more information please, click here to register.
________________________________________
Important Registration Information
To register for this training, click here and enter your account log-in information. If you do not have an account with hivtrainingny.org, you will need to sign up for one prior to registering for this course.
For additional information or questions, please contact: Vanessa Severino

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES AWARD OF $10 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING TO EXPAND ADDICTION WITHDRAWAL AND STABILIZATION SERVICES STATEWIDE

Award Will Fund 84 New Detox Beds in Underserved Areas Across the State

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an award of $10 million in capital funding to five providers for the development of 84 new community-based Medically Supervised Withdrawal and Stabilization Services beds throughout New York. The detox programs will provide around-the-clock care to people who are under the influence of alcohol, opioids, or other substances, or suffering from withdrawal, and help stabilize them and connect them to long-term treatment services.

“Communities across the country have felt the impact of the opioid epidemic and New York will continue to combat this scourge until this crisis has been eradicated once and for all,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding will bring desperately needed resources to communities across state, allowing us to reach more people and get them the help they need.”

“This investment for new community-based detox programs will provide the care and treatment services needed to help people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the Heroin and Opioid Task Force. “These programs are providing resources and helping to save lives, particularly in underserved communities.”

Medically Supervised Withdrawal and Stabilization Programs offer medical assessment, information about recovery support, family treatment, clinical services, and medication to manage withdrawal symptoms. This expansion of services is part of the Governor’s continued multi-pronged approach to address the opioid epidemic by providing comprehensive prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said, “With this funding, Governor Cuomo continues to show his commitment to improving the health of all New Yorkers. These programs offer essential services for people suffering from addiction and play a vital role in connecting them to the treatment they need to rebuild their lives.”

Senator George A. Amedore, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse said, “This epidemic is spreading throughout every community and devastating so many lives. We need to continue to make strides in preventing substance use disorders and expand important recovery services here in New York State. These programs will make a real difference for an individual’s path to recovery.”

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse said, “No corner of the state has been spared the devastation wrought by the opioid crisis. This funding will help create pathways to recovery for people struggling with substance use disorder. Across New York City and State, overdose death rates continue to rise despite our efforts. We have a responsibility to robustly fund prevention education, treatment and recovery services statewide to help save lives. Every man, woman, and child in the state who wants help should be able to find it where they live. This funding is a step toward recognizing that ideal.”

OASAS will provide capital funding for construction needs to each program listed below. Exact award amounts will be determined based on actual expenses; approximate totals are:

Capital Region and Mid-Hudson Valley

• PEOPLe, Inc., Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia, & Greene Counties – $2.38 million for 20 beds

Finger Lakes

• Genesee Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Inc., Genesee, Orleans & Wyoming Counties – $1.9 million for 16 beds
• Villa of Hope, Monroe County – $2.14 million for 18 beds

North Country

• St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation Center, Inc., Franklin and Essex Counties – $1.2 million for 10 beds

Southern Tier

• Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse of Livingston County, Inc. (d/b/a Trinity of Chemung County), Chemung County – $2.38 million for 20 beds

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

What’s happening around New York in Recovery