January 17, 2025

Below please find the 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