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Q&A
Funding for SSPs and cleanup efforts
0:27:15
ยท
136 sec
Council Member Linda Lee inquires about the allocation of opioid settlement funds for Syringe Service Programs (SSPs) and cleanup efforts. Rebecca Linn-Walton provides details on the funding distribution.
- $4.1 million of opioid settlement funds will be used to expand wraparound services at all 14 SSPs starting in fiscal year 2026
- The funding is primarily for programming aspects, not cleanup efforts
- The syringe redemption program is self-funded by the city
- Outreach and Safety Liaison (OSL) teams predate opioid settlement funds and are part of a larger continuum of services
- Additional funds will be used to expand access to mental health care, treatment, and improve working conditions for SSP staff
Linda Lee
0:27:15
No it's I know public health I mean because again through my former you know work in the nonprofit sector we did a lot of public health work which is more looking at you know for example we did a whole you know a lot of Asian Americans for example have very high you know blood pressure hypertension and so it was a lot of long term solutions with working with the grocers, the restaurants, all of those solutions to try and figure out how do we change the behavior of the community from a community perspective.
0:27:46
So it definitely takes a village, will say that.
0:27:48
So it has to be a multi pronged approach.
0:27:52
Okay, so really quick question about the funding.
0:27:58
So I know that you had mentioned that you will use 4,100,000.0 of the opioid settlement funds to expand wraparound services at all 14 SSPs starting in fiscal year twenty twenty six.
0:28:13
Does that also include the cleanup efforts or is this specifically just for the programming aspect?
Rebecca Linn-Walton
0:28:19
These are for the programming aspects to get more people connected to services and care and help them on their way to health.
0:28:26
And so the syringe redemption program, which I think you're speaking to, we're self funding.
Linda Lee
0:28:31
Okay.
0:28:31
And then is there another piece of the budget somewhere that would actually put more funds into, you know, helping with the cleanup efforts at all or is that included in any of the opioid settlement funds generally or no?
Rebecca Linn-Walton
0:28:45
Yeah.
0:28:46
So I mean, so the OSL teams predate opioid settlement funds.
0:28:52
So that was a layer we put in place recognizing the community need for syringe litter, the park kiosk.
0:28:59
So not through the opioid settlement funds, but that's because it's part of a larger continuum that we talked about last month with trying to support that.
0:29:07
So no OSF funds are directly going to expand that, but they will expand access to mental health care and access to other treatment and all of the other things that the SSPs have actually been asking us for.
0:29:19
And one of the things I'm very excited about as a social worker is things like mold remediation so that we can keep our workforce healthier as well so that they can have safe beautiful and respectful places to be doing care with New Yorkers.