NYS Council’s statement regarding New York’s ongoing overdose epidemic and
the Governor’s upcoming SFY ’26 executive budget proposal
“Recent headlines and some government data depict a measurable decrease in the number of overdose deaths both nationally, and here in New York State. While encouraging, New Yorkers who live and work in underserved and often-undervalued communities are living a different reality in which their family members, friends and neighbors continue to die of preventable overdoses and fentanyl poisonings at disproportionate rates.
Conditions of daily life are deeply connected to healthy outcomes, especially when it comes to the treatment of substance use, chronic pain, mental health, and trauma. Every community needs access to culturally-specific providers, peer networks, behavioral health services, drug disposal facilities, Medication Assisted Treatment as well as to naloxone and naloxone training. On-demand prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction services that are culturally sensitive and effective must be in place in ALL of New York’s communities if we are to effectively mitigate the overdose crisis for all populations.
New York’s overdose crisis continues to bear down on underserved and communities of color. We have a responsibility to look past the headlines and understand the variables impacting vulnerable New Yorkers. As such, we call on Governor Hochul to include a robust package of investments in the SFY 2026 executive budget that will finally address the health inequities impacting communities that continue to sustain disproportionate rates of overdose, so as to ensure immediate access to appropriate care for every New Yorker requesting assistance.”
Lauri Cole, Executive Director
The New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (“The NYS Council”) represents over 160 mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction community-based organizations across New York. For more information please reach out to us at (518) 461-8200. Visit our Website at www.nyscouncil.org
NEW YORK NONPROFIT MEDIA FIRST READ FEATURES OPINION PIECE BY LAURI COLE REGARDING COMMERCIAL INSURANCE MANDATE
Compiled by Angelique Molina-Mangaroo
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Opinion: New York is ending discriminatory insurance practices
Imagine you’ve contracted a debilitating illness, so you try to find a doctor to treat you. Then you find out that most healthcare providers won’t accept you as a patient because the insurance you have won’t adequately reimburse them for the cost of the treatment. As a result, you call every doctor in your community day after day, only to find that the list your insurance carrier gave you only included doctors not offering this care or others who aren’t even accepting new patients.
For decades, this is the stark reality many individuals with commercial insurance coverage have encountered when seeking mental health or substance use disorder treatment in New York state.
Why is this considered an acceptable standard for those living with mental illness or addiction? When left untreated, these medical conditions can have lasting detrimental impacts including premature death and permanent disability. For far too long, this discriminatory reimbursement practice has been a reality of life for millions of New Yorkers. Now, thanks to Gov. Hochul and the state Legislature, this discrimination will finally end.
Read more here.
– Lauri Cole
NYS COUNCIL RELEASES 2025-26 BUDGET/LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
The NYS Council has released its 2025-26 Budget/Legislative Priorities document. The Priorities focus on the following areas:
- OVERDOSE CRISIS
- WORKFORCE
- ACCESS TO CARE
- CHILDREN AND YOUTH
- REGULATORY REFORM
The full Priorities document is available online here.