On December 14th, NYHealth hosted a discussion about ways to better meet the needs of people impacted by the opioid epidemic in New York. Local practitioners shared their experiences implementing integrated crisis stabilization, prevention, and recovery programs and offered insight on adopting multistakeholder partnerships in more communities.
In the next five years, New York State will disburse $2.6 billion in opioid settlement funds from pharmaceutical companies and opioid manufacturers to support multiple State and local initiatives that prevent, treat, and aid in the recovery of substance use and addictions. However, glaring gaps exist in the way treatment and support services are offered to individuals affected by the opioid crisis. An estimated 70% of individuals with substance use disorders have a co-occurring mental illness. For the majority, care is disjointed and fails to provide integrated and comprehensive treatment to address these co-occurring issues.
In the Mid-Hudson region, innovative models of care have emerged to meet this challenge. Service providers, consumer advocates, and health departments in seven counties adopted an integrated system of care to meet the holistic needs of individuals and their loved ones.
Panelists were:
- Stephanie Marquesano, Founder & President, the harris project
- Michael Orth, Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health
Watch the webinar recording here.
Additional Resources: