Albany County will use opioid settlement funding to strengthen its response to the overdose epidemic.
In 2024, Albany County distributed more than $2.3 million in opioid settlement grants to community organizations to support overdose prevention and response services.
On Friday, county officials announced another round of settlement funding.
More than $1.5 million will support efforts by four county offices.
County Executive Dan McCoy says between 2023 and 2024, the county saw a 33 percent drop in opioid overdoses. But the Democrat says the work isn’t over.
“Currently projecting that the number of fatalities will not rise above 85. Fentanyl still remains a chief concern, as 70 percent of these deaths involve the drug of some shape or other; fentanyl in 2019 was 74 percent, so we did see a 4 percent decrease from the earlier numbers pre-COVID,” McCoy said.
The county Department of Health will receive nearly $620,000 to strengthen data collection and bolster awareness campaigns. The money will also pay for new overdose reversal naloxone kits and response staffers.
The county Mental Health Department is receiving more than $435,000 to hire a part-time nurse practitioner for opioid use disorder medication.
$200,000 will go to the county Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center to promote opioid use disorder education.
County Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Stephen Giordano says the money will support the nearly 2,000 county residents currently undergoing addiction treatment.
“In 2023, we responded to 129 survivors; in 2024, 112, by doubling our capacity with a new mobile van. I can only imagine those numbers are going to get higher. I'm certain they will. And we distribute fentanyl strips and Naloxone kits and xylazine kits and sweatshirts and backpacks and hats and blankets,” Giordano said.
County Legislature Deputy Chairwoman Wanda Willingham, a member of the Health Committee, says she’s seen the effects of overdoses and drug use up close.
“It started with heroin, with the mother, the grandparents, the mother and the father, the mother then became addicted through the use of pills, who then turned her daughter on also to the use of pills, who then had a child who was born and was also addicted to drugs when you receive phone calls, because that child has now been arrested for stealing, trying to feed her habit,” Willingham said.
More than $260,000 will support a new data management system at the county coroner’s office, which the county says will help track deaths in the county linked to opioids. Additionally, the county Department of Probation can now participate in the state’s Leave-Behind Naloxone program, which will give Narcan to people on probation who are believed to be at risk, and to their families.
While the money is welcomed, McCoy said more help is needed. He called on federal lawmakers to expand treatment access, saying insurance companies often place limits on treatment.
“I don't know about you, who the hell can get help in seven days, right? It takes you time to get over the jitters, the withdrawals, wanting and having that addiction need, and then the insurance company goes, ‘sorry, you're out,’” McCoy said.
McCoy adds parents need to have hard conversations with their children about opioids and other drugs.
Further opioid settlement funding is expected to keep coming in until at least 2039.
