InUnity Alliance

InUnity Alliance

OASAS Advisory | Outpatient Regulatory Requirement for Peer Recovery Services

Dear Outpatient Provider:

The implementation date for the delivery of peer services conducted by Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPAs) working within your program is approaching.  The new regulations require you to offer peer services by January 2020.  OASAS can provide you with technical assistance, and support, to help build your program’s capacity to integrate non-clinical peers within your clinical settings.  The organizational readiness self-assessment tool is an excellent resource for you to utilize to gauge your program’s current capability and to identify areas that may need strengthening.  The tool also contains embedded hyperlinks to resources to help you as you move forward.  Please access the tool here: www.oasas.ny.gov/recovery/documents/Recovery.OrganizationalreadinessTool.2.7.19FillableForm.Final.pdf

If you would like assistance, please complete the tool and return it to Susan.Brandau@oasas.ny.gov, Director of the Bureau of Peer Integration Services.  Please note, there is no score-it is simply a tool to help you assess your own organization and access additional resources and information.  We will review your responses and contact you for follow-up.  Questions may be directed to Susan via e-mail or phone (518) 485-2107.

 date of this notice:  August 23, 2019

2019 RECOVERY CONFERENCE PEER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Friends of Recovery-New York (FOR-NY) is excited to announce that OASAS Commissioner, Arlene Gonzalez­ Sanchez, has once again approved funding to provide scholarships for peers statewide to attend the New York Recovery Conference October 20-22, 2019 at the Albany Marriott, Albany, NY.

Friends of Recovery-NY (FOR-NY) will coordinate the application/approval process and payment of 40 peer scholarships across the state (30 statewide and 10 in the Albany-area).

Details & Application:
https://for-ny.org/nys-recovery-conference-2019/

Press Release: ASAP LAUNCHES PEER RECOVERY FAMILY CERTIFICATION

PDF of this Press Release

Press FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 2, 2019
Media Contact: David Doyle (518) 424-0999 Email: david@capitalcityny.com

NEW YORK ASSOCIATION OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROVIDERS (ASAP) LAUNCHES PEER RECOVERY FAMILY CERTIFICATION

The New York Certification Board, a project of the New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP) today launched a new professional certification for peer recovery advocates serving family members. The Certified Peer Recovery Advocate-Family (CRPA-Family) will be available beginning this month to qualified peer recovery professionals who meet specified experiential, educational and ethical standards.

The CRPA-Family is a specialty certification developed by ASAP through funding from the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). Its purpose is to better serve family members with youth, aged 21 years or under, who experience social, emotional, medical, developmental, substance use or behavioral challenges in their homes, schools or communities. Individuals who qualify for the CRPA-Family will be authorized to provide Medicaid-reimbursable family peer support services in approved OASAS settings. The CRPA-Family employs a wide array of support services including: engagement, bridging, transition support, empowerment, parent skill development and community connections, building recovery capital at both personal and community levels.

“This Program will equip our peer workforce with the tools it needs to better serve our young people and their families along the path to recovery,” stated OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. “We look forward to our continued partnership with ASAP to ensure the availability of this training across New York State.”

“The worst-ever overdose and addiction crisis in our state and nation has focused public attention on effective strategies for intervening in and supporting recovery from addiction. Peer support provided by trained, certified professionals is now recognized as one of the most important tools in this effort,” said John Coppola, Executive Director of ASAP. To become a CRPA-Family, individuals must first meet the certification requirements for recovery peer advocates; then complete 20 hours of specialized CRPA-Family training. Candidates must also qualify as family peers– individuals with lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver of a youth who’s participated in or navigated the treatment system. In developing the CRPA-Family, ASAP partnered with two New York State- based organizations with expertise in peer-related training: Families Together in NYS; and Friends of Recovery-New York. Both organizations were instrumental in developing and promoting the specialized training that will support ASAP’s certification program.

“The CRPA-Family is expected to play a vital role in helping families cope with youthful substance use,” said Coppola. “It will help fill the critical need so many families are experiencing in their struggles with opiate and other drug addiction.”

For more information, contact John Coppola at: (518) 426-3122; or visit the ASAP website at: https://www.asapnys.org/ny-certification-board/.

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About ASAP: The New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP) supports organizations, groups and individuals that prevent and alleviate the profound personal, social and economic consequences of alcohol and substance use disorders in New York State. ASAP represents the interests of the largest substance use disorders prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction service delivery system in the country.

—
David D. Doyle
Capital City Communications (518) 424-0999

Announcement: NYCB Certification and Exam Fees Scholarships Ending

We regret to report that all OASAS funded scholarships for NYCB Certification and Exam Fees have been allocated, as of 6/18/19. We are no longer accepting scholarship applications. OASAS will not be providing additional funding for the coming fiscal year that begins 7/1/19.