Series on Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services to Air on Univision and Telemundo Networks

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) announced today the second year of the “Nueva Esperanza, Nueva Vida” educational program, which will raise awareness of addiction, and the prevention, treatment and recovery services available to Latinos living in New York State. The Spanish-language series will air on both Telemundo and Univision stations. Each 30-minute episode will cover a new topic highlighting New York States various initiatives to expand access to addiction services, including family navigators, peer engagement specialists, youth clubhouses, recovery centers, mobile treatment, and open access centers.

"Every day, we are working to prevent addiction, help New Yorkers with recovery, and save lives," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "Through this informative campaign, we are helping our Latino communities learn more about opioid addiction and the many services New York has made available to help those in need. The opioid epidemic continues to impact families throughout our state and we are doing everything we can to reverse the trend and assist all New Yorkers in search of help."

“As a proud Latina, I understand the many cultural differences among the Latino population that impact the way substance use and addiction are viewed,” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “Through this program, we will discuss prevention, treatment and recovery in ways that resonate with Latino New Yorkers who may want more information about addiction.”

“Nueva Esperanza, Nueva Vida” is funded through the federal Opioid State Targeted Response grant awarded to OASAS to raise awareness of the opioid crisis, the risk and dangers of opioid use, and how to access appropriate treatment services. The episodes include people sharing their experiences with addiction, and highlights the resources available for individuals, families and communities. The conversations include personal stories about addiction, as well as discussions of general information about aspects of New York State’s continuum of care. Representatives from OASAS-certified providers and other addiction experts are also featured.

New York State has the fourth-largest Latino population in the United States, with nearly one in five New Yorkers who identify as Latino or Hispanic. Since 2000, the Latino population in the State has grown by nearly 33 percent, today making up 19 percent of all New Yorkers. OASAS-certified programs treat 54,000 Latinos annually for addiction. The television series makes the information about the prevention, treatment and recovery from substance use disorders more accessible to Spanish speakers who may not find the information otherwise.

The program, hosted by television personality Jacqueline Contreras, will be available on the NYS OASAS website for all New Yorkers to view.  It will air on the following schedule: 

 

Univision Channel 41: Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. from August 4 through November 17 

 

Telemundo Channel 47: Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 a.m. from November 24 through February 24, 2019

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, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.  

Visit CombatAddiction.ny.gov to learn more about the warning signs of addiction, review information on how to get help, and access resources on how to facilitate conversations with loved ones and communities about addiction. For tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing alcohol or drug use, visit the State’s Talk2Prevent website.

Source: OASAS