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ALBANY, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko cheered news that the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse in Menands, NY is being awarded $850,000 in federal funding to provide resources and trainings for New York’s first responders to help prevent prescription drug and opioid overdose-related deaths. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be distributing the funds to 13 states across the nation that total $11 million.

“America’s overdose epidemic is reaching new deadlier heights every day and we’re still not doing enough to save lives and reverse this dangerous trend,” Congressman Tonko said. “We must ensure our communities are equipped with the tools to address this crisis. I have worked for years for Congress to fund these critical mental health and addiction services so that every American can find and follow the path to recovery and am grateful that this lifesaving funding is coming to our Capital Region to support first responders across our state so they can better help those most in need.”

Rep. Tonko has long championed greater support for addiction treatment and mental health services. He successfully pushed to secure SAMHSA funding as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 Federal Budget legislation that was advanced out of the House last month.

During his years in Congress, he has also advanced numerous bills to expand addiction treatment and address the nation’s opioid crisis. Tonko led his colleagues in a letter to President Biden calling for him to support the bipartisan MAT Act and strengthen access to medication-assisted treatment.

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