Since 1997, we have conducted more than 800,000 assessments* for substance use disorders among welfare recipients in NYC. From that number, our team of Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASACS) has helped nearly 500,000 individuals by determining their best level of care and referring them to 400 different treatment providers. Despite significant challenges such as criminal history, homelessness, mental illness, and living with HIV/AIDS, our clients have been able to achieve recovery and secure employment.

Our partnerships with healthcare agencies let us employ mobile teams to offer patients on-site substance use disorder screenings, brief interventions, and referrals for treatment when they’re most likely to be experiencing negative side effects.

*Our primary funder for substance use disorders assessment and referral services is the New York City Human Resources Administration.

Our assessment and referral for substance use process includes:

• quick substance use disorder screenings for a slew of care settings, such as emergency departments, urgent care centers, community health, and mental health clinics, homeless shelters, single-room occupancy units, and supportive housing units.
• brief interventions for low-to-moderate risk substance use disorders through motivational interviewing, a short-term counseling method that helps individuals change their behavior.
• harm-reducing counseling and preventative strategies, such as overdose prevention and reversal.
• clinical evaluation by a licensed professional for high-risk patients.
• Substance use disorder treatment referrals to all modalities based on ASAM, OASAS, and SAMHSA placement criteria.