On December 21, the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS) today announced more than $190,000 in funding was awarded to two NYS OASAS-certified addiction treatment providers, Odyssey House and Mount Sinai Behavioral Health System,
to support a new peer engagement specialist initiative in East Harlem
in New York City. The program, developed by NYS OASAS, is part of
Governor Cuomo’s multi-pronged approach to aggressively address
substance use disorders in the state. This collaborative effort will
focus on reducing street drug use, lowering potential for overdoses and
other drug-related emergencies, and addressing community concerns about
drug abuse, including use of synthetics, heroin and opioids, with a
focus in East Harlem.
“A reversal from an overdose is a second chance,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul,
co-chair of Governor Cuomo’s Combat Heroin and Prescription Opioid
Addiction Task Force. “That moment when a person with a substance use
disorder is in crisis is an opportune time for us to step in to make
sure that that individual is connected to the addiction treatments
services he or she needs. This program will help those connections
happen in East Harlem.”
Peer engagement specialists, who are
knowledgeable about the alcohol and substance use disorder treatment
system, will work with Emergency Department (ED) personnel in the
hospitals serving the area to help establish connections to addiction
treatment and other supports after an opioid overdose reversal or after
discharge from another substance use-related ED visit. The two peer
engagement specialists, one from each substance use disorder treatment
program, also will conduct outreach to connect individuals in 125th
Street Corridor with addiction treatment services and mental health and
other support services. They will also lead community education events
about addiction.
“Connection to addiction-focused care is always critical, but is particularly so after an alcohol or drug-related crisis,” said NYS OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez.
“Connecting a person to treatment after an overdose reversal is crucial
to getting them started on the path to recovery, and can help prevent
relapse and lower the risk for a potential subsequent overdose. These
peer professionals can be the warm hand that individuals need to guide
them into treatment, so that they can get the help they need and
hopefully join the millions of Americans who are living a healthy life
in recovery.”
The peer engagement specialists will provide outreach to vulnerable individuals in East Harlem, focusing on the area between 96th and 138th Streets from 5th
Avenue East. Their main tasks will be referring individuals for
substance use disorder treatment, providing information regarding
addiction to individuals, and assisting individuals with accessing
treatment. The PESs will also connect with Emergency Departments,
community based organizations, soup kitchens, religious centers, and
neighborhood health care and addiction treatment providers. They will
also conduct presentations to help increase local knowledge about
substance use disorder treatment and support services that are available
in the community. They will also track referrals to treatment and
support services, and collect other pertinent data to assess the
efficacy of the project. NYS OASAS will oversee the initiative.
Peter Provet, President of Odyssey House, said,
“When a community works together to fight drug abuse, individual lives
are saved and everyone’s lives are improved. Local partners armed with
local knowledge who share a commitment to the neighborhood they live and
work in are an essential part of the glue that keeps families together,
the streets safe, and businesses and neighborhoods thriving. I am proud
to partner with NYS OASAS and Mount Sinai Behavioral Health System on
this essential street outreach initiative that extends awareness of
treatment services to people in need throughout East Harlem. The peer
engagement specialists who will lead this effort understand the
importance of reaching people before they overdose because, even with
the increased prevalence of naloxone (the opioid reversal medication),
emergency services, treatment providers, and hospital detox centers,
cannot reach everyone in time to avoid a tragic death. This initiative
is a big step forward in protecting the health of New Yorkers struggling
with addiction.”
“Mount Sinai is proud to partner with OASAS and Odyssey House in this important initiative,” said Sabina Lim, MD, MPH, Vice President and Chief of Strategy, Behavioral Health, Mount Sinai Health System.
“Peer professionals have a critical and invaluable role in the path to
recovery for people with substance use disorders. They provide
meaningful and proactive connections for people with substance use
disorders at a critical time. Effective intervention when the potential
for change may be at its greatest will help improve access and
continuity of care to treatment and support services. We look forward to
working more closely with our partners, to help make a substantive
impact in the lives of people with substance use disorders in the
communities we serve.”
"The peer engagement specialist initiative
is an important step towards combating the substance use disorders that
are becoming all too common,” said New York State Senator José M. Serrano.
“This important program will allow drug prevention and recovery
resources to be readily available, help these individuals remain on a
healthy track, and educate the community on the dangers of drug
addiction. Many thanks to the New York State Office of Alcoholism and
Substance Abuse Services for recognizing the seriousness of this issue,
and providing a crucial step to recovery."
“The OASAS Peer Engagement program
represents the type of creative and effective effort necessary to
address the challenges created by street drug use,” Assemblymember Robert J. Rodriguez. “This
important initiative will help connect those in need with the services
necessary to get them into recovery and reduce the number of overdoses
on our streets. I am proud to have been an integral part in securing the
support necessary to see this program come to fruition. I salute and
congratulate Commissioner Sanchez and the staff of OASAS on the program
launch today.”
“Substance abuse has become a crisis
throughout the country, and addiction prevention services are some of
the most vital programs we can offer in the fight to stave off this
public health epidemic,” said New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
“Drug-related emergencies affect our communities and fill our medical
centers at an unsustainable rate, and by meeting them at their level by
providing peer engagement specialists both in the hospital and on the
ground, we can work to ensure that outreach is targeted to the places
where it will be most effective. This is a problem that has been felt in
El Barrio/East Harlem and around the city, and I applaud OASAS for
collaborating with residents to solve this critical issue.”
Source: Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
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