NY Ment Hygiene L § 19.01 (2021)
2021 New York Laws MHY - Mental Hygiene Title D - Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Act Article 19 - Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse 19.01 - Declaration of Policy.

§ 19.01 Declaration of policy.The legislature declares the following:Alcoholism,  substance abuse and chemical dependence pose major health   and social  problems  for  individuals  and  their  families  when  left   untreated, including family devastation, homelessness, and unemployment.   It  has  been  proven  that  successful  prevention  and  treatment  can   dramatically reduce costs to  the  health  care,  criminal  justice  and   social welfare systems.The  tragic, cumulative and often fatal consequences of alcoholism and   substance abuse are, however,  preventable  and  treatable  disabilities   that require a coordinated and multi-faceted network of services.The  legislature recognizes locally planned and implemented prevention   as a primary means to avert the onset of alcoholism and substance abuse.   It is the policy of the state to promote comprehensive, age  appropriate   education  for  children and youth and stimulate public awareness of the   risks associated with  alcoholism  and  substance  abuse.  Further,  the   legislature acknowledges the need for a coordinated state policy for the   establishment  of  prevention and treatment programs designed to address   the problems of chemical dependency among  youth,  including  prevention   and intervention efforts in school and community-based programs designed   to  identify  and  refer  high risk youth in need of chemical dependency   services.Substantial benefits can be gained through  alcoholism  and  substance   abuse  treatment  for  both  addicted  individuals  and  their families.   Positive treatment outcomes that may be  generated  through  a  complete   continuum  of  care offer a cost effective and comprehensive approach to   rehabilitating such individuals. The primary goals of the rehabilitation   and  recovery  process  are  to  restore  social,   family,   lifestyle,   vocational and economic supports by stabilizing an individual's physical   and   psychological   functioning.     The  legislature  recognizes  the   importance of varying treatment approaches and levels of  care  designed   to  meet  each client's needs.  Relapse prevention and aftercare are two   primary components of treatment  that  serve  to  promote  and  maintain   recovery.The  legislature  recognizes  that  the  distinct  treatment  needs of   special populations, including women and women  with  children,  persons   with  HIV  infection, persons diagnosed with mental illness, persons who   abuse chemicals, the homeless and  veterans  with  posttraumatic  stress   disorder,   merit   particular  attention.  It  is  the  intent  of  the   legislature to promote effective interventions for such  populations  in   need  of  particular  attention.  The  legislature  also  recognizes the   importance of family support for individuals  in  alcohol  or  substance   abuse  treatment  and  recovery.  Such  family participation can provide   lasting support to the recovering  individual  to  prevent  relapse  and   maintain  recovery.  The  intergenerational cycle of chemical dependency   within families can be intercepted through appropriate interventions.The state of New York and its local governments have a  responsibility   in coordinating the delivery of alcoholism and substance abuse services,   through  the  entire  network  of service providers. To accomplish these   objectives, the legislature declares that the establishment of a single,   unified office of alcoholism and substance abuse services  will  provide   an  integrated  framework  to  plan,  oversee  and  regulate the state's   prevention and treatment network. In recognition of the  growing  trends   and  incidence  of  chemical  dependency,  this consolidation allows the   state to respond to the changing profile of chemical  dependency.    The   legislature   recognizes   that  some  distinctions  exist  between  the   alcoholism and  substance  abuse  field  and  where  appropriate,  those   distinctions  may  be  preserved.  Accordingly,  it is the intent of the    state to establish one office of alcoholism and substance abuse services   in furtherance of a comprehensive service delivery system.