NYS OASAS ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF MOBILE ADDICTION SERVICES IN NEW YORK CITY

 

New Mobile Unit Operated by Bridging Access to Care Will Bring Services to High-Need Communities

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) announced the launch of a new mobile unit to provide addiction treatment, harm reduction, prevention, and recovery services to residents of New York City. This new mobile unit is being operated by Bridging Access to Care, and is being supported with $225,000 in funding provided to New York State through the federal State Opioid Response Grant, and administered by OASAS.

“Ensuring treatment equity and supporting harm reduction are two critical parts of the work we are doing at OASAS. We need to make sure that everyone has access to care for addiction, whenever they are ready to seek help.” OASAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said. “With this new mobile unit, we will be able to better connect with underserved communities, and improve access to a full spectrum of health care services designed to support overall well-being.”

The new mobile unit is equipped with two exam rooms, two bathrooms, and Wi-Fi capability, and will provide medication for addiction treatment, overdose prevention kits, mental health services, health screenings, and health information and education. 

This new unit will provide services throughout Brooklyn, as well as other underserved areas of New York City, and add to existing mobile units that have reached thousands with critical addiction services since their inception.

The expansion of these services builds on OASAS’ efforts to expand mobile services throughout New York State to reach underserved communities, and meet people wherever they are, as well as the expansion of harm reduction services and health education. This includes the establishment of a new Harm Reduction Division within OASAS, which is working to reduce overdose deaths by improving access to treatment, increasing the availability of naloxone, and eliminating the stigma around substance use and treatment.

“As an organization that invests in community wellness, we are excited to bring life-saving overdose prevention and treatment to all boroughs,” said Nadine Akinyemi, Chief Executive Officer, Bridging Access to Care. “There is a lot of misconception about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorder. Thanks to the funding and support from OASAS, this new mobile unit will enable us to bring substance use treatment and mental health services and distribute the correct information about MAT and other treatment options to neighborhoods that lack established treatment facilities and suffer from high overdose rates, including neighborhoods like Williamsburg, East New York, and Coney Island.”

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports oversees one of the nation’s largest substance use disorder systems of care with approximately 1,700 prevention, treatment and recovery programs serving over 680,000 individuals per year. This includes the direct operation of 12 Addiction Treatment Centers where our doctors, nurses, and clinical staff provide inpatient and residential services to approximately 8,000 individuals per year. 

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). 

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website. 

If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or email at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.