OASAS Awards $500k Funding for Upstate Permanent

ALBANY, NY (08/07/2009)(readMedia)-- State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) has awarded $500,000 to six upstate agencies to fund projects designed to provide permanent supportive housing for individuals and families in recovery from addiction who have been homeless or are at risk of homelessness. Funding will be available beginning October 1, 2009.

"We know that chronic alcoholism and/or drug addiction increases the likelihood of on-going homelessness," said Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo. "This funding will help countless New Yorkers sustain long-term recovery and achieve independent living."

According to OASAS data, one-half of all men, one-quarter of all women, and more than 20 percent of all female heads of households who are admitted to homeless shelters or seek emergency housing have histories of chronic alcoholism and/or drug addiction.

The funding will provide full operating costs for rental subsidies, case management and employment services for a total of 53 Units. These programs will bring OASAS-funded Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) to seven communities - one large city (Buffalo); two small cities (Poughkeepsie and Watertown) and four rural counties (Wayne, Ontario, Cortland and Madison). This will be the first time that OASAS has provided access to these types of services within these particular communities.

Since 2007, OASAS has increased Permanent Supportive Housing portfolio of apartments from 856 units to 1,276 units, an increase of 49 percent. The number of communities with access to these programs has increased from 13 to 20, an increase of 54 percent.

Evidence-based prevention strategies are a key component of the OASAS mission to improve the lives of New Yorkers by leading a premier system of addiction services through prevention, treatment and recovery.

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 and New Yorkers need to know that help and hope is available. Individuals can get help by calling the toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day a week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY. For more information, visit www.oasas.state.ny.us.

The Upstate Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative awards will be distributed, in varying amounts, to the following voluntary agencies through direct contracts from OASAS:

Agency

Community

Number of Units

Annual Award Amount

10/1/09 - 3/31/10

Award Amount

Cazenovia

Erie (Buffalo)

14

$155,400

77,000

FLACRA

Wayne and Ontario

8

$87,000

43,500

MARC

Dutchess(Poughkeepsie)

(14)

$50,000

25,000

Credo

Jefferson (Watertown)

7 (start-up)

$82,700

41,350

Catholic Charities

Cortland

5

$62,400

31,200

Liberty Resources

Madison

5

$62,500

31,200

6 Agencies

7 Counties

53

$500,000

250,000