OASAS Bolsters Future of Addiction Workforce with $2 Million in N...

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) announced the award of more than $2 million for the Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program, funded through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund. The announcement states this represents a strategic expansion of an initiative first established in 2023, with funding directed to community-based programs to address workforce shortages and remove financial barriers for individuals entering or advancing in the addiction services field.

The scholarship program funds New Yorkers to obtain credentials including the Credentialed Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP), or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA), or an Associate Degree with an integrated CASAC program, or a Bachelor's Degree in Addiction Studies. OASAS states that to date more than 1,300 individuals have received scholarship funding through this program across community-based organizations and SUNY and CUNY schools.

Named awardees and amounts include: Helio Health ($506,103), Outreach Development Corporation ($500,500), Samaritan Daytop Village ($390,000), Exponents, Inc. ($357,500), DePaul Community Services ($87,182), Orange County Council on Alcoholism ($68,575), Farnham Family Services ($65,520), St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment & Recovery ($58,012), and Addictions Care Center of Albany ($37,440).

OASAS states that New York State is receiving more than $2 billion through settlement agreements with opioid manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies secured by Attorney General Letitia James, with a portion going to municipalities and the remainder deposited into a dedicated fund. The announcement states that more than $409 million has been made available through the Opioid Settlement Fund to date, which OASAS describes as the most of any state in the nation.