March 12, 2021
CNY Receives $1.8 million to Form Network to Respond to Opioid and Stimulant Use Crisis
{Syracuse, New York} The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) has awarded a network of 10 prevention, treatment, and recovery providers in the Central Region with more than $1.8 million to respond to the opioid and stimulant use crisis. The award is funded through State Opioid Response (SOR), federal funding designed to assist states in responding to the crisis surrounding opioid and stimulant use.
The network will be facilitated by the Central New York Behavioral Health Care Collaborative (CNY BHCC), a network of over 35 behavioral and physical health providers committed to better health through improving outcomes, ensuring quality and increasing access to care. CNY BHCC will bring together substance use providers as well as other areas of service, through an Advisory Board, to ensure initiatives are meeting the needs of our communities. Helio Health served as the lead applicant and generously contributed the funds to finance the team of writers who procured the grant.
Jeremy Klemanski, President and CEO of Helio Health and President of Omnes IPA/CNY BHCC said “Bringing this many agencies together to pursue improved health for people in our region is evidence of the good work of the CNY BHCC and a sign that more help is on the way for people struggling with Opioid and Stimulant Use Disorders. Our network is throwing everything we have at this problem. This funding is going to help us do more.”
The network will come together across Cayuga, Onondaga, Oswego, and Oneida counties to provide a full continuum of services to vulnerable populations. Services to be funded through the grant include medication drop boxes designed to remove opioids from the community, street outreach to those with co-occurring mental health and opioid use disorders, enhanced open access services to provide individuals access to treatment 24/7/365, partnerships with criminal justice entities to divert individuals to treatment in lieu of incarnation, and peer supports for those in recovery.
OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said, “The damaging effects of addiction continues to persist in communities across our State and this funding will help to ensure that we are strengthening the capacities of our prevention, treatment and recovery provider networks to expand access to comprehensive and life-saving services for individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future.”
Eric Bresee, Executive Director of Farnham Family Services says, “This funding will be instrumental in helping us to fill critical gaps in services, build our network of providers and strengthen the connections between prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery supports”.
“Prevention Network is dedicated to collaborating with our BHCC partners to address the opioid crisis by providing a comprehensive continuum of prevention, treatment, and recovery services to reduce the prevalence, incidence, and consequences associated with Opioid and Stimulant use disorders. Access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals and families is essential during this time of crisis, prolonged isolation, and increased distress and despair.”, said Beth Hurny, Executive Director at Prevention Network.
Network providers include Helio Health as the lead applicant, Prevention Network, Farnham Family Services, Center for Family Life and Recovery, Confidential Help for Alcohol & Drugs Inc., Crouse Health, Community Recovery Center of Rome Health, Liberty Resources Inc, Center for Community Alternatives and ACR Health.
The providers within this network wish to thank our State and National leaders for their continued commitment to combatting the opioid and stimulant crisis by making opportunities like this possible.
For more information contact Katie Weldon at kweldon@helio.health or 315-474-5506. To learn more about the CNY BHCC please visit our website omnesipa.health. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.