OASAS Commissioner Announces Plans for One Outpatient System of Addiction Services

ALBANY, NY (04/27/2009)(readMedia)-- NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today announced a strategic plan to transform the methadone treatment system which serves more than 40,000 New Yorkers daily.

Speaking before an audience of 1,200 from 23 countries at the annual conference of the American Association of the Treatment for Opioid Dependence (AATOD), Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo outlined changes that would integrate New York's $248 million methadone treatment system as an integral part of the outpatient system of care.

"Methadone treatment is an important and stabilizing form of medication-assisted therapy and should never be viewed an isolated treatment network," said Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo. "It is in the best interest of those we serve - and our providers - to incorporate methadone and all medication-assisted treatments as part of a chronic-health, recovery-oriented system of care."

Methadone recipients are a significant portion of the 110,000 New Yorkers being treated on any given day by more than 1,500 programs in the OASAS system, one of the largest addiction services systems in the nation.

OASAS is taking the first stop toward creating a single set of medically supervised outpatient regulations that will address methadone as part of the outpatient system of care. Revisions to the existing 828 Regulation for methadone and the 822 Regulation for outpatient care are completed and will be reissued later this year under one 822 Regulation that has a section for methadone.

Though the combined regulation will separately address the needs of outpatient and methadone, it will set a foundation for future discussion on the best manner in which to serve the entire outpatient system of care.

"This does not mean that all outpatient programs will have to dispense methadone or that meth programs will be required to offer other services," Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo said, "However, it is important that all of our providers come together and begin to look at where and when there should be an integration of services offered to best serve New Yorkers."

Today's strategic plan for the methadone system comes from recommendations of the Methadone Transformation Advisory Group (MTAG), which was convened by Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo in December 2007.

MTAG, which includes stakeholders from Opioid Treatment Program advocacy groups, state and local government, coalitions and providers, issued its first recommendations last September.

Its goal is to develop one unified outpatient system of care with combined regulations, ambulatory detox, person-centered and recovery-centered, co-existence of abstinence-based and chronic care models, flexible financing and prevention and treatment and recovery without stigma.

"In my vision, when someone walks into any of our facilities hoping to break their cycle of addiction, we can and will help them. We will describe the types of treatment available, and we'll encourage prevention, treatment and recovery, at a level of care that will meet their needs-one door to recovery; one healthier New York," the Commissioner said.

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo also introduced to the audience one of the 12 members of the Your Story Matters campaign, which highlights the recovery stories of New Yorkers.

Kevin Garvey, today a divisional director of residential programs at Lower East Side Service Center with 16 years in recovery, began his recovery journey by enrolling in a long-term methadone to abstinence residential program.

Mr. Garvey's story and many other recovery stories are available at the Your Story Matters website, www.iamrecovery.com. Through Your Story Matters, OASAS hopes to foster a movement of recovery, one that sheds the stigma and promotes a life of health and wellness.

"Kevin's story is one of hope, courage and inspiration," Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo said. "He exemplifies all the good reasons we need to continue to move forward in bringing medication-assisted treatment into the outpatient system of care. Recovery is medication-assisted treatment."

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 days a week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY. For more information, visit www.oasas.state.ny.us.