James Cusack, President of Veritas Villa, Receives 2010 Governor's Lifetime Service Award

ALBANY, NY (10/22/2010)(readMedia)-- State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today announced that James Cusack, president and founder of Veritas Villa in Kerhonkson, is the recipient of the 2010 Governor's Lifetime Service Award. The award was presented by the Commissioner at the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State's Annual Conference this week in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Each year, the Governor honors a member of the addiction field for their servant leadership and advocacy in the advancement of prevention, treatment and recovery services in New York.

Governor Paterson said, "Mr. Cusack's extraordinary commitment and years of outstanding service in the field of addiction, his leadership, hard work and dedication to improve the lives of others have advanced the overall goal of prevention and helped many New Yorkers realize the personal goal of successful treatment and recovery."

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo said, "Jim Cusack is an outstanding leader in the addiction field who has dedicated his remarkable career to improving the lives of the 2.5 million suffering from addiction. I am proud to present Mr. Cusack with this well deserved honor, as such valuable work merits special acknowledgment and our appreciation."

Mr. Cusack is president and founder of Veritas Villa, the first free-standing facility in the state to provide residential treatment for those with alcohol and chemical addiction. The facility has now been in operation for more than 30 years. Mr. Cusack has been interviewed as a pioneer in the field by Cornell University's R. Brinkley Smithers Institute for Alcohol-Related Workplace Studies, and has received several recognitions and awards. He is also world renowned for his work in the field, including assisting Iceland and Russia in the development of their treatment programs. At the age of 80, Mr. Cusack continues to counsel patients, and remains actively involved with the Villa and the community.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services systems dedicated to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, with more than 1,700 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.

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