January 29, 2025

Summary:

Yesterday I attended an OASAS-hosted Budget Briefing for advocates.  I brought up the issue of the Office’s stated intent to ultimately redistribute net deficit funds across OASAS providers and to do so based on a number of factors including but not limited to equity.

According to the Commissioner OASAS is still in the process of reimagining and re-structuring addiction resources, looking at how funding is obtained and distributed currently and the Office started with a 5 year time frame for doing so.  However, the Commissioner said yesterday and said again today (during the provider budget briefing) that the project is still in play but the Office also recognizes the need to slow this process down so as to avert de-stabilizing the field any more than what could come in the days, months and years to come.  This includes a pause on plans to remove net deficit funds from CCBHC Demo agencies.

If you have questions please feel free to call me.  I’m at 518 461-8200.