NEW YORK — Addiction to drugs like fentanyl is causing thousands of deaths from overdoses in New York. For that reason, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday the launch of a new campaign to raise awareness about addiction and the services available in the state for people affected by addiction and their families.
The campaign seeks to educate the public about the potential risks of fentanyl, as well as the importance of harm reduction services and how and where to find addiction help in New York State. As part of this campaign, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports is also launching a partnership with NEXT Distro to increase access to the overdose reversal medication, naloxone.
This partnership is funded through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund and will allow people to receive naloxone by mail, free of charge. To complement these efforts, OASAS is also launching a new series of educational podcasts, titled “Addiction: The Next Step”. The podcast will educate the public on all aspects of addiction and the work of OASAS and will highlight stories from people in recovery.
“New Yorkers in every community across the state continue to feel the impact of fentanyl and the ongoing opioid and overdose crisis, and we are working around the clock to address this public health emergency,” said Governor Hochul. “We need to take every step possible to save lives, which starts with educating New Yorkers about the dangers of these substances and the resources available to help all those who have been affected.”
Fentanyl is a potentially extremely dangerous substance, which can be 100 times more powerful than heroin. While fentanyl has certain legal medical uses, the illegal use of fentanyl and synthetic analogues continues to increase and can have devastating consequences. Fentanyl is especially dangerous because it is often mixed with other drugs such as heroin or cocaine without the knowledge of the people who use those substances, substantially increasing the risk of a possible overdose. Fentanyl is now present in approximately 75% of overdose deaths in New York State.
Earlier this year, OASAS partnered with NY MATTERS to launch a new ordering system for providers and individuals to obtain fentanyl test strips. Since its launch in February, more than 1.1 million fentanyl strips have been ordered. Free xylazine and naloxone test strips are also available through the same ordering system, and more than 230,000 xylazine test strips have been ordered since they first became available in May.
Resources
A through a new order portal, people can now order naloxone to be mailed directly to them. In addition to naloxone, educational materials on how to use naloxone, where to find opioid use disorder treatment, and other resources will also be provided.
For individuals seeking to learn how to use naloxone, OASAS offers virtual naloxone trainings, which are open to the public and educate individuals on how to recognize an overdose, respond by administering naloxone, and what to do after naloxone is administered. Here the events.
New Yorkers struggling with addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s 24/7 toll-free HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY ( 1-877-8-HOPENY). 877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Available addiction treatment, including crisis/detox care, inpatient, residential or outpatient, can be found using the NYS OASAS treatment availability panel at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the website of NYS OASIS.
If you, or a loved one, have experienced treatment-related insurance obstacles or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, please contact the CHAMP Helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or email to [email protected].
2023-08-01 14:25:39
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