State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele today praised two new actions to expand addiction treatment and recovery services for people across New York. A Request for Applications (RFA) makes up to $4.5 million in funding available to develop nine Open Access Centers across the state and a Request for Information (RFI) has been released that seeks input on the development of two pilot recovery high schools. Thiele stated, “The opioid crisis is a national health emergency. No community has been spared the havoc that has been caused by addiction. These two new proposals are another step forward to insure that New Yorkers get the treatment that is necessary to return to wellness.”

Request for Applications: 24-7 Open Access Centers

The $4.5 million RFA seeks proposals for establishing Open Access Centers throughout New York State. The centers will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to deliver immediate engagement, assessment and referral services to people suffering from substance use disorders.

The goal is to create at least one Open Access Center in each region of the state. The RFA is open to local governments and non-profit organizations. Responses are due October 31, 2017. Funding through the RFA will be awarded to develop Open Access Centers in nine of the state's 10 regions, with the exception of Central New York. There, Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare was selected to develop a 24-7 Open Access Center, through a locally issued, state-funded procurement.

Request for Information: Recovery High Schools

The RFI seeks input on the development and implementation of two pilot recovery high schools. A recovery high school offers an alternative, multi-service high school program in a safe, sober, and supportive environment, for students who are in grades nine through 12 and dealing with a substance use disorder. Treatment and recovery services and support are incorporated into the normal school environment as part of the educational programming, and also play a role in staffing.

The RFI seeks information from Boards of Cooperative Education Services and nonprofits partnering with one or more BOCES that are interested in implementing recovery high schools in New York State. Responses are due October 31, 2017.

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 new and improved NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the Access Treatment page on the NYS OASAS website at www.oasas.ny.gov. Visit oasas.ny.gov/CombatAddiction to learn more about how you can help to #CombatAddiction in your community.

Visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov for more information on addressing heroin and prescription opioid abuse, including a Kitchen Table Tool Kit to help start the conversation about the warning signs of addiction and where to get help. For tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing alcohol or drug use, visit talk2prevent.ny.gov/toolkit/conversation-starters.