Maloney Announces Nearly $1 Million to Combat Opioid and Heroin Abuse in the Hudson Valley
Newburgh, NY – One day after Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) called for Speaker Paul Ryan to bring legislation to the floor to combat opioid addiction, Rep. Maloney announced three local health centers will receive a total of $987,386 in federal investments to combat opioid and substance abuse in the Hudson Valley. Since joining Congress, Rep. Maloney has secured an additional $3.7 million for local organizations to combat substance abuse through youth anti-substance abuse initiatives.
“Every community in the Hudson Valley has been hurt by the devastating heroin and opioid epidemic and as the father of two little girls I am struck by the toll this is taking on our children. Working across all levels of government and in partnership with local organizations we must do everything we can to protect our children and make strategic and smart investments to treat those who are struggling with addiction,” said Rep. Maloney
Three local health centers in New York’s 18th Congressional District were awarded grants, including:
- $337,386 for The Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Center
- $325,000 for Middletown Community Health Center
- $325,000 for Hudson River Healthcare
“As the opioid epidemic continues to grip the lives of the people of our community, we must continue the fight to expand effective and necessary treatment options, such as the ability for addiction medical specialists and other clinicians to prescribe medication assisted treatment to those with addiction,” said Linda Muller, President & CEO of Cornerstone Family Healthcare (formerly the Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Center). “Securing this grant from HRSA will allow us to expand and integrate proven and effective treatment options and services into sites beyond our Center for Recovery in Newburgh. This award signifies an opportunity for a new life … and for this, I am grateful.”
“We are so excited about this grant opportunity, not only for Middletown Community Health Center, Inc, but for the community at large. Addiction is a huge problem not only for the user but for their families as well. With this funding we will do our part to help our patients fight this growing public health issue,” said Theresa M. Butler, Chief Executive Officer for Middletown Community Health Center, Inc.
“HRHCare is thrilled to have received this much support for care and treatment for patients who otherwise would have their health compromised without this funding. These federal funds will be focused on expanding behavioral health services in Beacon, Peekskill and Yonkers,” said Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, President and CEO of HRHCare.
These federal grants were awarded by the Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to improve and expand the delivery of substance abuse services in health centers, with a particular focus on opioid abuse. Nationwide, HHS has announced $94 million in funding to 271 health centers in 45 states and are expected to help grantees hire approximately 800 providers to treat nearly 124,000 new patients. In particular, these grants will help health centers increase the number of patients screened for substance use disorders and connected to treatment, increase the number of patients with access to MAT for opioid use and other substance use disorder treatment, and provide training and educational resources to help health professionals make informed prescribing decisions.
In 2014, Maloney worked with the Office of Drug Control Policy to designate Dutchess and Putnam Counties as part of the NY/NJ High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) in order to bring additional local, state and federal law enforcement resources critical to combatting drug trafficking in the Hudson Valley. In 2014, there were more than 118,000 admissions into New York State-certified treatment programs for heroin and prescription opioid abuse – a 28,731 increase over 2013, and a 17.8% increase over 2009. The largest increase in opioid admissions during that time was patients ages 18 to 34.
