Addiction & Recovery News

Breaking developments in drug policy, overdose prevention, and addiction treatment in New York.

Suspected Overdoses Soar in NY Prisons Despite Mail Ban

New York restricted physical mail in state prisons in 2021 to choke off the flow of drugs behind the walls. Department data compiled by the Correctional Association of New York shows Narcan administrations jumped 51% last year, and fatal overdoses are still running far above the level recorded before the ban.

September 29, 20269 min read

deep-dive policy mental-health

HHS Secures Insurer Pledge on Behavioral Health Quality

Dozens of insurers, medical societies, and providers signed a voluntary HHS pledge to raise standards for addiction and mental health care. The commitment arrives just as enforcement of the federal parity law — the one tool that legally compels equal coverage — sits frozen.

August 3, 20268 min read

news deep-dive federal

Whiplash at HHS: How Trump's $2 Billion Grant Cuts Threw New York's Addiction Treatment System Into Chaos—Then Reversed in 24 Hours

In January, the Trump administration sent termination letters to thousands of mental health and addiction programs nationwide. New York's safety net scrambled. Then, 24 hours later, the money came back. But the chaos didn't end there.

March 20, 20268 min read

deep-dive opioid settlement

Where Are New York's Opioid Settlement Millions Going? Watchdogs Say the State Won't Tell Them

Drug policy experts and advisory board members say OASAS is stonewalling transparency efforts around $1.5 billion in opioid settlement funds, refusing to disclose basic information required by law.

February 23, 20269 min read

deep-dive opioid treatment

Methadone Treatment Tripled Since 2010, But Most New Yorkers With Opioid Use Disorder Still Can't Get It

New research reveals methadone treatment has tripled since 2010, yet three out of four people with opioid use disorder receive no medication at all. A pending federal bill could change how New Yorkers access this life-saving treatment.

February 20, 20268 min read