Catholic Charities receives $2M to fight opioid crisis

A 2017 state announcement named Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange and Sullivan among the recipients of federal funding intended to address opioid use disorder in New York. The money was awarded to the state through the Opioid State Targeted Response grant program administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The grant program was designed to increase access to treatment, reduce unmet need and prevent overdose deaths in 16 New York counties identified at the time as having a high need for additional response services.

Of the funding distributed among organizations in those counties, $2 million was earmarked for Catholic Charities of Orange and Sullivan. The proposal included expanded peer services, remote clinical care and mobile treatment in areas identified as underserved.

Under the grant-funded State Targeted Response program, the organization was designated a Center of Treatment Innovation. Its stated plan was to use peer support, clinical services and emerging technology to improve access to treatment and recovery resources in Sullivan and Ulster counties.

Planned services included assessments and treatment referrals, medication-assisted treatment, individual and family therapy, group therapy, peer recovery support and case management.

The organization was also one of ten agencies statewide selected to receive $100,000 for evidence-based prevention services focused on underserved young people and other at-risk populations. The funded work included school, community and peer-based prevention programs, along with family and community outreach.

Because this is an archived report, readers seeking current treatment or crisis resources should confirm availability through current state or county health agencies.