'We Can't Lose Anyone Else' Campaign Launched to Combat Addiction in New York

 

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS) announces “We Can’t Lose Anyone Else,” a bi-lingual campaign designed to inform and educate New Yorkers about opioid addiction and the resources available to help. The campaign includes three public service announcement (PSA) videos that will air on television statewide beginning November 26 for four weeks. The PSAs are available to view here.

“We are aggressively working to combat the opioid epidemic that is destroying the lives of individuals and families across our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the Heroin and Opioid Abuse Task Force. “As the crisis continues to impact communities in New York, we’re leading the nation with significant investments and putting forward solutions to save lives. This campaign will help to raise awareness and educate New Yorkers about the struggle of addiction and the resources we have available to help them, so no more families have to endure the anguish of losing a loved one."

 

“The faces and stories of those you see in this campaign demonstrates that addiction spares no one from hopelessness, loss and devastation,” New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “This campaign helps to spread a message of hope, counterbalance misconceptions about addiction, including medications that can help, while also providing information about how to obtain treatment and support services regardless of personal financial circumstances.”

This is the latest in New York’s multi-pronged effort to combat drug and prescription opioid abuse. The "We Can’t Lose Anyone Else" campaign is designed to save lives, show how New York is leading the fight against addiction and save lives by communicating that help is available. It is also intended to inform the public about the full array of treatment options available to assist anyone impacted by substance abuse, regardless of a person’s ability to pay.

The 30-second PSAs share a central theme that anyone can become addicted to opioids and one more life lost is one too many. The stories at the heart of the campaign are shared by real New Yorkers, many who are in recovery, or those who have lost a child or loved one due to overdose.

Spanish language PSAs will primarily air downstate on the Telemundo and Univision networks while the English version will be aired broadly on networks throughout the state.

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: The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services