These actions are outlined in the new Heroin and Opioid Task
Force Progress Report detailing three years of work and improvements to expand
and enhance services aimed at combatting the opioid crisis. The Task Force
recommendations were signed into law in 2016.
"New York's first reduction in opioid overdose deaths
in over ten years is an important milestone and demonstrates our work to combat
this deadly scourge is working," Governor Cuomo said. "And while New
York has taken the most aggressive actions to combat the opioid crisis of any
other state in the country, the opioid epidemic continues to devastate too many
families and we will not rest until we put an end to it once and for
all."
While this is encouraging news, we must remain vigilant as many
communities across the State are disproportionately affected by the opioid
epidemic. New York State continues work on targeted efforts to prevent opioid
misuse and overdoses while enhancing services for people with opioid use
disorder and increasing access to those services in areas with the greatest
need.
After years of rising opioid-related overdoses deaths among
New York State residents, 2018 finally saw a drop, from 2,170 deaths in 2017,
to 1,824 deaths - a 15.9 percent decrease - according to preliminary State
Health Department data covering areas outside New York City. Furthermore,
hospitalizations for opioid related overdoses decreased 7.1 percent -- from
3,260 in 2017 to 3,029 in 2018. Overdose deaths, hospitalization and other data
are included in the most recent New York State County Opioid Quarterly Report,
available here.
