Opioid overdose continues to be a major public health problem in the United States. It has contributed significantly to accidental deaths among those who use or misuse illicit and prescription opioids.
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The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) today announced the launch of the Kinship Care Toolkit to support relatives and family friends who are caring full-time for children whose parents can no longer take care of them due to substance use or addiction, incarceration, death, or other circumstances. The toolkit was developed in partnership with the NYS Kinship Navigator.
“Unfortunately, there are many circumstances in which parents are no longer able to care for their children, often through no fault of their own.” (OASAS) Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “With the launch of this toolkit, we are giving non-parent caregivers the resources and information they need to help these children navigate a difficult time, as well as support their own well-being.”
Kinship care refers to extended family members such as grandparents, aunts or uncles or other extended relatives, as well as family friends who are caring full-time for children whose parents are absent or face limitations on caring for them. The toolkit was designed to help maintain family bonds and assist caregivers in having conversations about these topics with young people.
The toolkit provides information on subjects such as grief, identifying red-flag behavior in youth, having age-appropriate discussions and self-care for kinship care providers. It also includes interactive exercises for children in kinship care to help express their feelings and promote positive thinking and self-image.
The new toolkit is available at https://oasas.ny.gov/kinship-care-toolkit.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website. If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or e-mail at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.
Many of us wonder “why people start using opioids and why they can’t stop?” The New York Times published a poignant piece recently, “A Visual Journey Through Addiction… How Opioids Hijack the Brain ”, which does a great job of providing us with a snapshot of what it’s like to be living with this devastating disease.
Resources & Documents
- 2019 Opioid Awareness Training Calendar
- Find Treatment For Addiction
- SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Toolkit
- April 2018 Opioid Quarterly Report
- Overdose Reversal Toolkit