CEO of NY's Largest Addiction Treatment Provider Responds to CDC Data Showing 100,000 Lives Lost to Overdoses

NEW YORK, NY (11/17/2021) (readMedia)-- This morning, the CDC released new data showing more than 100,000 people lost their lives to drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending on April 1, 2021 - the most lives lost to drug overdoses in one year in U.S. history. In response, Ann Marie Foster, president and CEO of Phoenix Houses of NY/LI, said:

"This massive increase in overdose deaths is tragic, but not surprising. Every day, treatment providers see the devastating effect that the Covid-19 pandemic and rise in fentanyl's prevalence has had on people with substance use disorder. And unfortunately, we see that things are not getting better. While the opioid epidemic worsened during the pandemic, our funding for substance use disorder treatment decreased. I hope that this news is a turning point, where every level of government finally sees that treatment providers need more support in order to meet this crisis with the fervor it demands. We need help, both to increase access to harm reduction and to help people get into and stay in recovery. We need support in order to ensure that this magnitude of unnecessary deaths does not happen again."

About Phoenix House

Since 1967, Phoenix House New York has helped thousands of people overcome substance and alcohol use in order to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives. Phoenix House New York offers short-term and long-term residential, intensive outpatient, and general outpatient treatment. Phoenix House also offers treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders, medical, psychiatric, and dental services, and impaired driver programs. These services are designed to meet the individual needs of adults at various stages of recovery, including military personnel, and veterans. In addition, Phoenix House provides educational and supportive services to family members, friends, significant others, and the community.