FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, August 14, 2025

CONTACT

Jasmine Budnella, jasmine@vocal-ny.org

VOCAL-NY RESPONDS TO MAYOR ADAMS PLAN TO ADDRESS THE OVERDOSE CRISIS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Today, Mayor Adams announced a multi-layered plan with dedicated funding to address substance use disorder. The plan includes multiple evidence-based public health policies to address the overdose crisis — alongside a state legislative proposal to force involuntary treatment. VOCAL-NY released the following statement attributable to Marilyn Reyes, Community Leader and Boardmember: 

“It’s clear that when Mayor Adams listens to public health experts, lives are saved. Expanding harm reduction funding, piloting contingency management, ensuring Relay participants have cellphones to stay connected to care, and investing in the creation of a drop-in center in the Hub are all proven strategies worth applauding.

But when he listens to Trump and the Manhattan Institute, the result is unproven, ineffective, and deadly policies. Mayor Adams can’t speak out of both sides of his mouth — he should remain focused on the evidence-based solutions that save lives.”

BACKGROUND:

Mayor Adams has set a goal to reduce overdose deaths by 25 percent by 2030 through evidence-based services as part of Care, Community, Action, a comprehensive strategy to address the overdose crisis. But involuntary treatment will not only undermine that goal — coupled with federal Medicaid cuts — it could fuel a surge in overdose deaths.

Research shows that forced treatment is not supported by evidence, increases overdose risk, perpetuates systemic racism, disrupts lives, and amounts to another form of criminalization. The Drug Policy Alliance’s report outlines these harms in detail.

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