Substance use and addiction are increasingly affecting the health and welfare of New Yorkers. The risk for developing substance use disorders is the highest in adolescence, increasing dramatically among students from 8th to 12th grade, and presenting a small window for intervention. The dominant approach to substance use interventions focuses on treatment of existing disorders for services such as detoxification or intensive residential treatment. Programs to prevent adolescent substance use have been identified through rigorous trials. In addition, evidence-based interventions to reduce the harms of existing substance use are widely known and can be implemented on the local level.

The Advancing Prevention Project helps to identify community priorities and apply effective, public health prevention strategies to prevent substance use and related harms through webinars, group and individual technical assistance, and curated events and resources. Current substance use topical priority areas include preventing opioid use and overdose and strengthening the behavioral health infrastructure.

Local Responses to Opioid Use & Overdose Prevention in NYS

Many New York communities are experiencing dramatic increases in the harms related to opioid use. Because responses to public health emergencies vary based on their local context, opioid use and overdose requires multi-stakeholder involvement. 

This webinar highlights local stories of successful coalition responses, highlighting community mobilization, policy advocacy and local governmental involvement.