Improved Services Benefit Children and Their Families

ALBANY, NY (03/25/2008)(readMedia)-- Two state agencies today unveiled a comprehensive framework to more effectively address the needs of children, youth, families and adults who require the assistance of juvenile justice, child welfare and the chemical dependency systems. The agencies’ “Working Together: Improving the Lives of New York’s Children and Families” Plan of Cooperation lays the groundwork and outlines several strategies that will ultimately assist local agencies with establishing ongoing working relationships across system lines.

Commissioners Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo (OASAS) and Gladys Carrion (OCFS) jointly signed the Plan of Cooperation at the “Improving Outcomes for Families & Children: Solutions for Child Welfare & Chemical Dependence Systems” conference at the Brooklyn Marriot, Brooklyn, New York. The goal of the two agencies is to support, to the fullest extent possible, the availability and accessibility of a full range of appropriate services for all New Yorkers.

OASAS Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo said, “Keeping children healthy and safe has long been a shared mission of our agencies and today’s agreement will allow us to solidify our work and rededicate our efforts to improve the quality of life for families. Working together we can provide families with comprehensive services which will help give children the healthy start in life they need and deserve.”

OCFS Commissioner Carrion said, “We are pleased to have such a strong partner who shares our mission to keep the vulnerable children of New York safe, provide them with permanent homes, and support their well-being. This agreement strengthens our joint commitment to support families and children in their communities by creating a stronger network of services.”

It has become increasingly clear that many children, youth and families served through the State’s public health; public safety; public welfare and public education systems have addiction service needs that require collaborative partnerships between the OASAS and OCFS systems.

• 74 percent of youth placed in OCFS juvenile justice facilities need substance abuse services;

• A 2007 sampling of indicated child protective reports in New York State found that alcohol or substance abuse was a risk factor in nearly 50% of the cases;

• Nationally, two-thirds of the children who die each year from abuse and neglect had parents under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs;

• 62,000 children are living with parents or other primary caregivers who are receiving addiction treatment.

The Plan represents a consensus framework between OASAS and OCFS, and will include providers, local government and consumers as implementation efforts are underway. It outlines eight broad areas where the two systems can work together to improve substance abuse, juvenile justice and child welfare issues. OASAS and OCFS agree to collaborate in the following areas: at-risk populations; strategic planning; program and community development; program evaluation/assessment; cross-training and fostering best practices; cross-system information sharing; stakeholder involvement, and juvenile residential care and aftercare.

John Coppola, Executive Director, New York State Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP) said, “Chemical dependence treatment, prevention, and recovery services providers are committed to working with our child welfare peers to ensure the best services for children and families and we commit our support to the collaboration our commissioners have announced today.”

Jim Purcell, CEO, Council of Family & Child Caring Agencies, “The Plan of Cooperation between the NYS Office of Children and Family Services and the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services provides an historic opportunity and pathway to jointly create those treatment and prevention services essential to helping children and families already in or at-risk of becoming involved in the child welfare system.”

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services systems, with 1,550 prevention and treatment programs which treat 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day. OCFS promotes the well-being and safety of New York’s children, families, and communities in partnership with the local social services districts and provides direct services to youth placed in juvenile justice facilities.

You can view the Plan of Cooperation at: http://www.oasas.state.ny.us/pio/collaborate/documents/OASAS-OCFSPOC2008.pdf .

For additional information, go to: www.oasas.state.ny.us or www.ocfs.state.ny.us

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