Gov Kathy Hochul recently announced that nearly $6 million in state funding has gone towards improving services for young people affected by substance use disorders.
The funding was provided through the state's opioid settlement fund, which holds money from legal settlements with drug manufacturers and distributors and is overseen by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports.
The money was allocated to 12 existing recovery centers statewide, two of which are in the Rochester region. The Center for Community Alternatives in Rochester and UConnect Care Behavioral Health in Batavia received roughly $500,000 each to expand their youth recovery programming.
"This project is a very unique project because there are not a lot of services and support specifically for youth that are in recovery," said Kathleen Hodgen, CEO of UConnect Care. "This is going to fill a gap here."
UConnect Care Behavioral Health Services has been providing recovery services to adults for 50 years. The recovery center is located on the outskirts of Batavia where, Hodgen said, resources for young people are limited.
"We're hoping that we can identify these youths who really need that extra support, so they know that they're not alone out there fighting this addiction," Hodgens said.
The youth program will be a novel endeavor for the team at UConnect Care. Staff said significant time will be spent surveying the young people in the area to get a better understanding of their wants and needs.
Matthew Martin, director of recovery services at UConnect Care, said the goal is to create "an additional safe space for youths who can participate in various activities."
He said being able to provide youth services will help create outlets for young people that do not typically exist in rural areas.
"If we can cultivate an environment where the youth and teens of our area want to engage, then we can implement those interventions that are designed to actually support, encourage, and grow," Martin said.
Martin said transportation is also a challenge in rural communities. He said the funding will help his team eliminate those barriers.
