The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) today launched the OASAS Leadership Academy, a new initiative to train hundreds of addiction professionals which will support and enhance the addiction workforce through the state, with the goal of retaining current and attracting new mid-level managers to the field. The leadership academy is a partnership with Kingfisher Services, and OASAS is providing $2,375,000 through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund to support this initiative.

“The dedicated professionals in New York State’s addiction workforce provide lifesaving care every day to thousands of individuals impacted by addiction,” OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said. “Thanks to this innovative new leadership academy, we are helping to further their education and provide important training to support their career advancement, while also expanding and enhancing the valuable services available for New Yorkers in need.”

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Addiction professionals are at the front lines of the drug overdose epidemic in New York State and this partnership will put more trained and trusted individuals in a position to provide critical care to those in need. I thank our partners with OASAS and Commissioner Cunningham for spearheading the Leadership Academy along with Kingfisher Services that will add hundreds more addiction professionals to the workforce.”

Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “This leadership training will provide our workforce of dedicated behavioral health professionals with the skills they need to become effective and innovative leaders. It will help ensure that our next generation of leaders is well equipped to move our system forward with excellent, well-integrated, quality services for New Yorkers.”

Through the Leadership Academy, up to 1000 mid-level or mid-level ready managers will have the opportunity to access training specifically targeted towards addiction and behavioral health professionals, free of charge, with travel costs also being reimbursed. These trainings are being offered on a combination of an in-person and virtual basis.

Staff who work in OASAS prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery programs will be eligible to apply, including clinical managers and administrative managers in various departments. Additionally, those identified by employers as up and coming managers may also apply. Employees at OMH and DOH integrated treatment programs and DOH drug user health programs will also be eligible to apply with other OMH and DOH programs being eligible on an as available basis.

New York State leads the nation in making settlement funding available, and has made $335 available to providers across the state to support various initiatives to address the opioid and overdose crisis. Additional funding from the settlement fund is being used to support other initiatives to increase medication for addiction treatment, as well as outreach services to connect at-risk individuals to services and resources, increased support for recovery centers, and more than $100 million delivered directly to municipalities across the state for them to address the opioid and overdose crisis on a local level. Details of this spending are available on the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund Tracker.

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports oversees one of the nation’s largest systems of addiction services with approximately 1,700 prevention, treatment and recovery programs serving over 731,000 individuals per year. This includes the direct operation of 12 Addiction Treatment Centers where our doctors, nurses, and clinical staff provide inpatient and residential services to approximately 8,000 individuals per year.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). 

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