(New York, N.Y.)— Alliance for Positive Change has been awarded $750,000 in federal funding for recovery and harm reduction programming amid the growing overdose crisis. The funding from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will go to the development of the Supportive Opioid Addiction Recovery (SOAR) program at Alliance.
Founded more than 30 years ago amid the height of the AIDS epidemic, Alliance is a leading multiservice organization that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, and job training.
The SOAR program will connect more than 600 low-income individuals who use drugs with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and other evidence-based recovery services, such as counseling and behavioral therapies. This funding will vastly increase Alliance’s ability to conduct outreach and engagement, screening for HIV and HCV, counseling and Peer coaching, and recovery support services.
“I am thrilled that Alliance for Positive Change received a critical $750,000 in funding to help continue their work combatting the overdose crisis in our City. Alliance is integral to our community, and I’m honored to be able to support their work through federal funding,” said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney. “The need for help is evident, and I am glad that the Alliance has the resources it needs to help be a part of the solution.”
“Alliance is grateful that SAMHSA has awarded us this funding to expand our leadership in harm reduction and recovery,” says Alliance for Positive Change Founding Executive Director/CEO Sharen I. Duke. “The urgency of the overdose crisis is clear: more New Yorkers die of overdoses than homicides, suicides, and motor vehicle crashes combined. We are proud to promote the health and safety of people who use drugs and support their chosen paths to recovery and positive change.”
"Every New Yorker who comes to us has unique needs and life experiences, so we must offer a full spectrum of services to reach those who are being impacted by the overdose crisis," says Alliance’s Chief Program Officer of Prevention Services Ramona Cummings. "This crucial funding will go a long way towards increasing education around and access to Medication-Assisted Treatment. It is vital to be able to offer a range of lifesaving harm reduction and recovery supports that meet each individuals' goals."
Many of the people who will be served by SOAR live with other chronic health conditions and face systemic inequities, including insufficient access to quality medical and behavioral healthcare and substance use treatment. Certified Recovery Peer Advocates who have similar life experience will conduct community-based outreach and recruitment.
In 2023, Alliance will implement a hub service model based out of its Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center, where it will expand provider hours at its drop-in space. In future years, the program will expand to Alliance’s Midtown Manhattan headquarters, East Harlem, and East Village program sites to serve communities hit hardest by the overdose crisis.
Overdose deaths reached historic highs in New York City during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene reports that in the first two quarters of 2021, there were 1,233 overdose deaths in New York City, compared to 965 overdose deaths during the same period in 2020. Alliance’s SOAR program will address this concerning trend by providing New Yorkers who use drugs with health care, recovery support, peer counseling, and other vital services.
About Alliance for Positive Change
Alliance for Positive Change is a leading multi-service organization that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, coaching, and renowned peer training and job placement programs that cultivate leadership and economic mobility. Alliance opened in 1991, at the height of the HIV crisis—a welcoming community of transformation and opportunity. Today, Alliance delivers on the promise of Positive Change with services and resources that equip people to navigate systemic inequities and achieve health and well-being. Learn about all the ways we inspire Positive Change at www.alliance.nyc
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