Grant Increases Access to Treatment and Recovery Support Services

ALBANY, NY (11/08/2010)(readMedia)-- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today announced New York state will receive up to $13.1 million over the next four years to provide vouchers to people with drug and alcohol problems to pay for needed treatment and support services.

The funding is part of a $379 million grant awarded under the Access to Recovery Grant from Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).

Governor David A. Paterson said, "This funding will help New York strengthen its commitment to supporting recovery from the chronic disease of addiction. It will lead to improved lives and better health for New Yorkers whose recovery is allowing them to be contributing members of our communities.

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo said, "Due to this award, we will be able to offer more than 9,000 New Yorkers better access to treatment, more positive outcomes and stronger supports for long-term recovery. For the 2.5 million New Yorkers struggling with addiction, this brings hope and help."

OASAS, in partnership with the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene (RFMH), was one of 30 grantees selected by SAMHSA to receive funding under this federal initiative. New York will develop an electronic vouchering system to provide individuals in recovery with the means to choose from a wide selection of alcohol and drug treatment providers and a variety of faith- and community-based services needed for continued support of their recovery.

Under the initiative called New York Service Opportunities for Accessing Recovery Successfully (NY SOARS), the three Recovery Community Centers serving as the hub of ATR services will be located in Brooklyn, Rochester, and Oneonta. Each site will be extending services to special populations that have historically been underserved or difficult to engage in traditional services, including youths aging out of foster-care, veterans, or people involved with various criminal justice programs and drug treatment courts. The use of peer-delivered services have been shown to be more effective in matching people with resources that can help sustain their recovery beyond professional intervention.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services systems dedicated to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, with more than 1,550 programs serving over 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day.

Addiction is a chronic disease, but New Yorkers need to know that help and hope is available. Individuals can get help by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day a week HOPEline, 1-877-8-HOPENY, staffed by trained clinicians ready to answer questions, help refer loved ones to treatment and provide other vital resources to facilitate that first step into recovery.

For more information, please visit www.oasas.state.ny.us.

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