NYS OASAS COMPLETES MONTHS-LONG STATEWIDE LISTENING TOUR

 

Tour Ran from April Through September, with Stops in Every Region of New York State 

Initiatives are Already Underway Addressing Feedback and Enhancing Services

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) has wrapped up a months-long statewide listening tour and analyzed feedback from 14 separate events. The tour had two main objectives. The first objective was to hear from the public about the experiences and challenges faced by those affected by substance use and addiction to determine how the agency might further support them. The second was to provide an opportunity for the Commissioner to directly share information with the public and answer any questions they may have about OASAS and its services.

OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “We held events in a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities. I am thankful to the members of the public, stakeholders, and local government officials who came to these events and shared their stories, thoughts, and concerns about addiction in their communities. Their perspective on what’s working well, in addition to the challenges and barriers people continue to face, is invaluable as we continue to work to make further improvements to services across the state.”

By the Numbers:

• 14 total listening sessions held, reaching every region of New York State
• Listening sessions spanned five months, from April through September
• More than 550 total attendees
• More than 4,100 miles traveled

The Themes:

OASAS identified six major themes that were consistently presented across all or most of the listening sessions:

• Strengthening and Sustaining the Addiction Workforce
• Addressing the Needs of Youth and Young Adults
• Improving Access to Basic Needs to Support Recovery
• Collaboration Across Government and Community-Based Organizations
• Improving Care for Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use
• Support for Families Affected by Addiction

OASAS is already at work addressing many of the areas identified by attendees at the listening sessions.

To support the workforce, OASAS has established an Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program using Opioid Settlement Funding, which allows people interested in entering or advancing in the addiction services workforce to obtain a credential or a degree. 2,000 people have received funding through this initiative to date. In addition, the agency established a paid internship program to further incentivize individuals interested in a career in the addiction services field. The agency also offers an interdisciplinary fellowship program and leadership academy to further train and support the workforce.

OASAS also has done extensive work to address the needs of young people. Recently, the agency awarded almost $6 million to support increased peer services for youth at recovery centers across the state. The agency is also working on establishing young adult recovery residences and expanding youth-focused supports at youth clubhouses.

To facilitate improvements to recovery supports, the agency works closely with our community-based providers to improve recovery services, including funding Recovery Community Outreach Centers, and bringing more peers into certified programs. We also support initiatives such as non-medical transportation, which helps individuals in recovery who face transportation barriers access various services.

Improving care for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders continues to be a major focus for the agency as well. In addition to existing Crisis Stabilization Centers, and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, which are a joint effort between OASAS and the Office of Mental Health, the agencies are currently working on a new integrated license, which would allow providers to offer both services in the same location. This will make it easier for individuals with co-occurring disorders to receive comprehensive treatment.

OASAS also provides extensive support for families, including online resources to educate parents and caregivers about emerging substances, and how to talk to young people, as well as family support navigators, who help families impacted by addiction find help and support in their communities.

For more information on the listening tour, the full report is available here, and a full video recording from each tour stop can be found on the OASAS website and YouTube page.

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports oversees one of the nation’s largest systems of addiction services with approximately 1,700 prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery programs serving over 731,000 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 on the NYS OASAS website.