State Budget Includes Record Funding to Combat Heroin and Opioid Abuse

The heroin and opioid crisis has had a devastating impact on communities across our state. The New York Senate Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction continues to work hard at enacting solutions to help provide hope for thousands of individuals and help break the cycle of addiction.  This year, the Senate Task Force was instrumental in securing a record amount of funding in the 2017-18 State Budget to strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery programs. The Central New York region will receive $5 Million in investments. 

The FY 2018 Budget invests a total of $213 million to address the heroin and opioid crisis in New York, representing an increase of over 100 percent from FY 2011. The investments include:

$145 million for community-based providers
$65 million for 8,000 residential treatment beds
$9 million for housing units
$41 million for opioid treatment programs
$21 million for outpatient services
$9 million for crisis/detox programs
$27 million for state-operated addiction treatment centers
$6 million for Naloxone kits and training
$25 million for expanded programs, including family support navigators, peer engagement and 24/7 urgent access centers

This new funding will be crucial in providing law enforcement, health care professionals and mental health experts throughout New York with the tools they need to help save lives.