ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Albany County announced new investments Tuesday to address addiction days after the kratom ban took effect.
The money comes from opioid settlement funds and will go toward organizations working on addiction prevention, recovery, and connecting people with critical services.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy says there will be half a million dollars in new investments from opioid settlements with pharmaceutical companies.
Five local organizations are receiving mini-grants, and another organization is being awarded a contract with the county.
McCoy says this funding will bring direct resources to the people that need it.
The Healthy Capital District, Hives of Hope Center, LaSalle School, and Second Chance Opportunities organizations are receiving $25,000 each.
The Hospitality House is receiving 18,304 dollars, geared toward outdoor recreational equipment.
In addition to this, the county is also awarding a $402,000 two-year contract to the Addiction Care Center of Albany.
This would bring certified recovery peer advocates and substance use counselors directly into emergency shelters.
McCoy said the goal is to ensure settlement dollars are used for recovery efforts rather than filling budget gaps, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to overcoming addiction.
“So at the end of the day, does the dollar amount really matter? But what matters is to use that money to help people get back on their path,” said McCoy. “Not to use it for one-shot gimmicks, not to use it to fill budget gaps, not to use it for pet projects, but to use every dollar and then some that comes in for recovery to help work with these types of organizations around me.”
McCoy says these resources are very important, and it doesn’t matter how long someone has been in recovery; they’re continuing the fight every day.
