The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) today announced the launch of a new educational program to help New Yorkers understand alcohol and drug addiction, including where to find help and services. The program is titled “New Hope, New Life with OASAS” and will help inform New Yorkers about substance use disorders, including the warning signs, resources available, and where to find help. The program is being funded with $500,000 distributed through the federal State Opioid Response Grant.
“Addiction can be managed with the right support services and treatment options,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the State Heroin and Opioid Task Force. “The key is making sure individuals and families are aware of the resources available to them. This new educational program through OASAS will help to raise awareness about addiction and promote prevention, treatment and recovery options available to New Yorkers. The program is part of our aggressive efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and help people on the road to recovery.”
“I am proud to be involved in the creation of this new program to help inform people about addiction in New York State.” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “Through innovative efforts like this, we are continuing to raise awareness of the impact that this disease is having on communities throughout our state, and are making critical, lifesaving information available to people wherever they live.”
“New Hope, New Life with OASAS” is modeled after the successful “Nueva Esperanza, Nueva Vida con OASAS” program, which airs in Spanish on Telemundo and Univision. Topics include information about new innovative treatment services, the stigma of addiction, and the treatment that is available. The goal is to inform and educate New Yorkers with a better understanding of substance use disorder and reduction in shame and stigma.
The program is a 30-minute discussion format, with participants that include Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez and various OASAS certified providers, individuals in recovery, and OASAS staff. It will air on major broadcast stations at various times in the following markets through September 29:
- Albany
- Binghamton
- Buffalo
- Elmira
- New York City
- Plattsburgh
- Rochester
- Syracuse
- Utica
- Watertown
Check local listings for airtimes in these markets. Full episodes will also be posted online at
CombatAddiction.ny.gov
“Education is a key component of any successful statewide substance abuse program,” said Senator Pete Harckham, Chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. “The ‘New Hope, New Life with OASAS’ program will provide critical information to New Yorkers about substance use disorder, helping them better understand the warning signs and informing them about treatment options. Any educational program that can help get more people into treatment is money well spent by the state.”
"When combined with robust and easily accessible treatment and recovery services, education can play a vital role in helping to stem the tide in the opioid overdose crisis. While we have made some progress, overdose rates continue at unacceptable levels and communities on the front lines of this crisis are in desperate need of on-the-ground resources so they can create more universal access to medication assisted treatment and the full continuum of treatment and recovery services," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
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).
Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website. Visit CombatAddiction.ny.gov to learn more about the warning signs of addiction, review information on how to get help, and access resources on how to facilitate conversations with loved ones and communities about addiction. For tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing alcohol or drug use, visit the state’s Talk2Prevent website.
