New York State Attorney General Letitia James stopped in Tompkins County on Wednesday, October 13 to announce up to 1.7 million dollars for Tompkins County that will go directly to prevention and treatment on demand for substance use and mental health in impacted communities.
Attorney General James was joined by County Administrator Lisa Holmes, County Legislators, and Deputy Director of Mental Health, Harmony Ayers-Friedlander. The Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County hosted the presentation at their Triphammer Road location.
Attorney General Letitia James stated, “I believe in hope, I believe in inspiring people and lifting people up and treating them where they are, and recognizing that this is a health crisis, and not engaging in victim blaming, but being compassionate, being responsive, but most importantly, getting results.”
Harmony Ayers-Friedlander, Deputy Director of Tompkins County Mental Health stated, “It is an honor to stand with Attorney General James, my colleagues, and County Legislators for this historic announcement. This funding will bring much needed support to our community for treatment, education and prevention.”
Chairwoman of the Legislature Leslyn McBean-Clairborne stated, “It’s about looking out for the dignity and the life of all humanity, not just the folks who have chemical or opioid dependency, but concerns for their families, the people to come, the ones who haven’t even been born yet and those of us who continue to work to make sure that our community can embrace these folks and work with them wherever they are.”
Dr. Justine Waldman, CEO and Medical Director of REACH Medical stated, “At this point during this current epidemic, we need to focus on the data, we need to look at the treatment data about what is keeping people alive and about who is dying from this illness and why. We need to stop looking at this illness through an abstinence-based, criminal justice lens, and use all of our will and might to move the needle for this illness and seeing it as it is: it’s a chronic relapsing illness just like diabetes. We need to see it that way and stop blaming people who have the disorder. We need to make sure the right people are at the table, at both the local and state level. We need to advocate that people with lived experience and who understand harm reduction are on the Opioid Settlement Advisory Board that determines how this money gets spent.”
Angela Sullivan, Executive Director of the Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County stated, “This announcement is such a light in the darkness for the families who have been devastated by this epidemic. We need to focus on recovery and healing for individuals and families. We stand here today at the future site of our detox and stabilization program. This level of care has been missing from Tompkins County for almost 30 years. We will be offering 24/7, stigma-free, open access to substance use and mental health treatment services. We will have the flexibility to move services around the individual and meet people where they are. We have the building, but we need the staff, the training, and the support. This funding will go a long way to serving our community with a much-needed, compassionate continuum of healthcare.”
Jessica Janssen, Chief Executive Officer of Cayuga Area Recovery Services stated, “The past 18 months has been an unprecedented time due to COVID and the ongoing opioid epidemic, and now this is an unprecedented time because Attorney General James has won against the big pharmaceutical companies. I want to emphasize the importance for all of us to integrate care: people need jobs, housing, and primary care. One of the benefits in our community is how much we work together and support each other. The dollars invested in Tompkins County will go a long way and we will lead the others.
Frank Kruppa, Tompkins County Commissioner of Mental Health stated, “As Tompkins County Mental Health and Public Health departments move forward in the strategic planning of their merger, mental wellness remains a priority. We look forward to continued collaboration with our community partners engaged in this work and providing much needed improvement of services and care for those in our community who have been, and continue to be, impacted by the opioid crisis.”
Future announcements will be made as planning occurs and funding is received. Footage from last week’s press conference can be found on the NYS Attorney General’s webpage.
The Tompkins County Health Department is your partner for a healthy community. Find us online at TompkinsCountyNY.gov/health, and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TompkinsPublicHealth and on Twitter at @TompkinsHealth.
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