One in three Americans knows someone who has died of a drug overdose. While mortality rates have decreased in recent years, an estimated 4,500 New Yorkers lost their lives to a preventable overdose in 2024. Historically, New York has been at the forefront of adopting innovative public health strategies, including pioneering harm reduction approaches. The recent federal cuts to Medicaid and community health services pose a threat to New York State’s progress in reducing overdose deaths.
Join the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and the National Black Harm Reduction Network (NBHRN) for a preview of DPA’s report on the first three years of New York’s opioid settlement funds – a multibillion-dollar fund earmarked to address the overdose crisis. Access to opioid settlement funds is critical to ensure individuals with the highest need continue to receive life-saving services. This webinar will dive into current data on the overdose crisis in New York, how opioid settlement funds have been spent, and what lawmakers and community members can do to ensure the most effective use of the funds.
Speakers:
- Tracie M. Gardner, Executive Director, National Black Harm Reduction Network
- Toni Smith, Director of New York State, Drug Policy Alliance
- Sophia Silao, Program Officer, New York Health Foundation
Webinar Date and Time:
Monday, August 25, 2025
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.