UHS Behavioral Health receives grant from Opioid Settlement Funding

The Broome County Health Department announced that UHS, along with six other Broome County-based organizations, will be recipients of grants from the Opioid Settlement Funding. 

The Opioid Settlement Fund was created through the work of New York State Attorney General Letitia James and her historic lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that she said contributed to the overdose epidemic. In March 2019, the attorney general filed an extensive lawsuit against large pharmaceutical manufacturers, which resulted in a settlement being awarded to New York State to address drug misuse, substance use disorders, both fatal and non-fatal overdoses and recreational substance use. Broome County was one of the first counties to sign on to the AG’s lawsuit. Organizations were eligible to apply for grants ranging from $58,000 to $150,000. Projects being funded will address treatment, recovery, harm reduction, prevention and education efforts in the community.

UHS' portion of the funding will be put to good use in preventing and treating opioid addiction. Our plan is to implement an evidence-based acceptance and commitment therapy program designed for patients dealing with both mental health and substance use issues, along with funding certified peer recovery advocate training and improved access for patients to participate in counseling sessions via tablet computers.

"We are confident that a positive impact will be made in the lives of many patients, and that our community will benefit from what we and other grant recipients will be able to achieve," said Cara Fraser, administrative director of UHS Behavioral Health. "Today we are very grateful for the tremendous effort put forward by all seven recipients, and especially by the Broome County Health Department in awarding the grant to make this new, meaningful and lifesaving partnership a reality."

The additional agencies who also received funding include: The Addiction Center of Broome County, The Hope Foundation of Binghamton, Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network of South Central New York, Lourdes Hospital, Rural Health Network of South Central New York, and Truth Pharm.