© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Albany announces grants to expand addiction treatment in WNY

Michael Mroziak, WBFO

The commissioner of the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) came to Buffalo Tuesday to announce new funding for addiction treatment services in Western New York.

Commissionre Arlene González-Sánchez's first stop was at Horizon Health Service Terrace House on Elm Street in Buffalo.

"Today we're here to announce that Horizon will be getting a million dollars to operate 25 new treatment beds in Niagara County," she said.

Those beds, when opened, will help push Horizon's expansion from just 50 beds two years ago to nearly 200. Horizon will be opening another new center next month that will make an additional 25 beds available.

"That's what our community needed, access to treatment," said Horizon Health president and CEO Anne Constantino, who thanked elected officials for making the money available.

"Honestly, for those of us on the front lines, including the families, it felt like we were in a war without weapons. We just did not have enough. We were getting beaten badly. Once somebody becomes addicted, treatment is the best weapon we have."

González-Sánchez also announced that $1.75 million will go to Lake Shore Behavioral Health and Preventionfocus, for their joint opening of a Recovery Community and Outreach Center in Buffalo.

The Buffalo center, to be located on Linwood Avenue, is one of numerous such centers statewide to which Albany is providing funding.

The state's announcements come one day after the Erie County Opioid Epidemic Task Force announced the formal start of its three-part strategy to tackle the opioid addiction crisis. As of late July, nearly 225 deaths in Erie County were blamed on confirmed or suspected opioid overdoses.

Michael Mroziak is an experienced, award-winning reporter whose career includes work in broadcast and print media. When he joined the WBFO news staff in April 2015, it was a return to both the radio station and to Horizons Plaza.
Related Content