newscrisismental-healthSAMHSA Awards $255 Million to 988 Crisis Lifeline—With New York-Based Administrator at the HelmThe 988 Lifeline has handled over 25 million crisis contacts since its 2022 launch. New federal funding will expand capacity as data shows 14.3 million adults had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.May 18, 20264 min read
newsoverdosefentanylU.S. Overdose Deaths Drop to 70,000 in 2025—Lowest Since Before COVID, But New York Faces Rising ThreatsNew federal data reveals the third consecutive year of declining overdose deaths, yet policy changes and emerging synthetic drugs threaten progress in New York.May 14, 20266 min read
newsoverdosefentanylU.S. Overdose Deaths Keep Plummeting—But New York's Drug Supply Is Getting More DangerousWhile fatal overdoses drop nationwide thanks to less potent fentanyl and better care, New York faces a new threat from synthetic drugs more powerful than anything seen before.April 13, 20267 min read
newscannabismental-healthNew York's Cannabis Treatment System Is Collapsing Just as Youth Need It MostAs New York legalizes adult cannabis use, the state's treatment infrastructure for young people struggling with marijuana addiction is shrinking. Admissions have fallen by half in eight years, emergency departments lack linkage programs, and pediatricians aren't trained to spot the problem.April 8, 20267 min read
newscannabistreatmentNew York's Cannabis Treatment Admissions Dropped 50% While ER Visits Doubled—And Young People Are Falling Through the CracksCannabis treatment admissions in New York have dropped 50% since 2016, even as marijuana-related emergency department visits have more than doubled. Young people struggling with high-potency cannabis face a treatment system that wasn't designed for them—and the state is scrambling to catch up.April 7, 20268 min read
newspolicyopioidFederal Government Moves to Ban Synthetic Opioid Sold in Gas Stations Before It Triggers the Next Addiction CrisisFederal regulators are racing to ban a synthetic opioid that's been sold legally in convenience stores and vape shops across the country. The substance, 7-hydroxymitragynine—known as 7-OH—is a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant that officials say is as addictive as heroin and more potent than morphine.March 25, 20268 min read
newsmental-healthfundingFederal Government Opens $69 Million in Mental Health Grants, Targets Suicide Prevention and Youth CareThe federal government is making $69 million available to healthcare systems, states, and community providers working on youth mental health, suicide prevention, and involuntary treatment programs.March 10, 20267 min read
newstreatmentpolicyNYC's Largest Hospital System Will Pay Patients to Stay in Addiction TreatmentThe city's public hospital system is rolling out a new approach to addiction treatment that pays patients small rewards for hitting recovery goals—starting with people involuntarily removed from the streets under controversial mental health laws.March 4, 20268 min read
