HealthAlliance has stepped up to offer impatient substance use disorder services at their Broadway campus

Launches High Risk Mitigation Team to respond to combating the opioid epidemic 

KINGSTON, N.Y. - Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan announced today that HealthAlliance will be offering impatient substance use disorder services at their Broadway campus in Ulster County. Due to a waiver granted by New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), HealthAlliance is now able to utilize “normal” medical surge beds for detox treatment services. This is a short term solution as HealthAlliance works to address the long term needs for behavioral health beds in Ulster County. This comes after County Executive Ryan wrote to HealthAlliance calling on them to reactivate vital behavioral health beds in Ulster County, including both inpatient mental health and substance use disorder beds.

“We know that the pressures created by COVID-19 have led to an increase in opioid overdoses and fatalities in Ulster County,” Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said. “In light of this, we must double down on our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. I am confident that these initiatives⁠—launching the High Risk Mitigation Team along with our efforts to ensure HealthAlliance provides inpatient detox services here in our county⁠—will help to save lives.”

In response to an increase in opioid-related fatalities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the County is rolling out a new set of initiatives to help combat the opioid epidemic. County Executive Ryan announced the Ulster County Department of Health and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Department will be partnering to expand their diversion program and launch a new High Risk Mitigation Team. This new pilot program in the City of Kingston will work with our highest risk individual and first responders to identify people in need of care. The team will carefully follow their treatment so they don’t slip through the cracks in our existing system. Services will include: linking to peer services, treatment, harm reduction measures, medication assisted treatment, OUD prevention education, and recovery services.

This is a part of the Healing Communities study. Ulster County was selected as one of only 16 counties in New York selected to take part in this program. Through this program, the County will receive $2 million dollars in grant funding in the coming years. The Healing Communities study focuses on the following areas of intervention: communications, medication for opioid use disorder, safer prescribing/dispensing, opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution. 

Additionally, as a part of the Ulster County Recovery Task Force, the County will continue to offer virtual Narcan training sessions and has provided $50,000 to the Samadhi Recovery Community Outreach Center in Kingston and has provided $21,000 to Family of Woodstock to cover the cost of transportation to opioid court and other needs.

There are currently 1782 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 83 fatalities in Ulster County.  

For additional information about COVID-19 visit: https://ulstercountyny.gov/coronavirus

Ulster County COVID-19 Hotline: 845-443-8888

NYS Coronavirus Information Hotline: 888-364-3065

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