New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 9 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT › Subtitle A - Governor's Office › Chapter I - Executive Orders › Part 4 - Executive Orders (Mario M. Cuomo) › Section 4.120 - Executive order no. 120: establishing the statewide anti-drug abuse council

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
WHEREAS, the phenomenon of drug abuse and the crime,
					 violence, corruption and human suffering it engenders is universally recognized
					 as one of the most urgent and intractable problems of our time;
WHEREAS, this evil has spread throughout our society,
					 affecting rich and poor, young and old, urban, suburban and rural communities
					 alike;
WHEREAS, the evils spawned by drug abuse manifest
					 themselves in the form of crime, corruption, disease, drug addiction, family
					 disruption and domestic violence, the blighting of communities, the spread of
					 AIDS, and a loss of public confidence in the ability of the institutions of
					 government to address these evils;
WHEREAS, the multiplicity of problems engendered by the
					 abuse of drugs, including alcohol, demands a most vigorous and concerted
					 response on many fronts simultaneously, addressing the needs for the
					 improvement and enforcement of the drug laws, the development and provision of
					 substance abuse treatment for drug dependent persons, scientific research into
					 the causes and cure of drug addiction, education of the public, especially
					 young people, to the dangers of drug abuse and the consequences of drug crime,
					 and efforts to address the consequences to the public health and the public
					 health care system imposed by rampant drug abuse;
WHEREAS, the People of the State of New York, through their
					 State and local governments, through their schools and through their voluntary
					 and civic associations are in fact already committed to an all out campaign
					 against drugs;
WHEREAS, the People of the State of New York have and will
					 continue to devote tremendous public resources and energies to the campaign
					 against drugs;
WHEREAS, at any time, and especially in time of strained
					 public resources, strict accountability and solid assurance of the careful and
					 intelligent expenditure of public resources must be maintained by the officers
					 and agencies entrusted by the People with the conduct of public affairs;
WHEREAS, the effectiveness of our drug abuse control
					 efforts and the assurance of the effective and prudent expenditure of public
					 resources requires the assessment, improvement and coordination of the programs
					 and policies of our law enforcement, substance and alcohol abuse, education,
					 health and other public agencies which constitute aspects of our campaign
					 against drugs;
WHEREAS, the involvement of the private sector, including
					 community-based groups who minister to the needs of the drug and alcohol
					 dependent, who work with youth, who represent parents and teachers, and who
					 work together for civic and neighborhood improvement or for educational or
					 charitable purposes, is essential if we are to fully mobilize all of the
					 resources, the determination and the creative energy of our society;
WHEREAS, an effort of such magnitude and consequence as our
					 war on drugs requires clear focus, effective direction, close coordination and
					 continuity that are best provided by the establishment of a council of those
					 State officials who are charged with the execution of the State's policies and
					 programs in the areas of law enforcement, education, drug and alcohol abuse
					 prevention and treatment and the public health;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, MARIO M. CUOMO, Governor of the State of
					 New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws
					 of the State of New York, do hereby establish the Statewide Anti-Drug Abuse
					 Council.
I. Membership
The members of the Council shall be the Lieutenant
					 Governor, who shall be the Chairperson of the Council, the State Director of
					 Criminal Justice, the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Health,
					 the Director of Substance Abuse Services and the Director of Alcoholism and
					 Alcohol Abuse.
II. Powers
				  and Responsibilities
The Statewide Anti-Drug Abuse Council shall:
1. Review and assess the extent and
				  effectiveness of current State agencies' policies and programs addressing all
				  facets of drug enforcement, treatment, education, prevention and drug and
				  alcohol related public health matters;
2. Identify areas of duplication of effort,
				  inefficient overlap and inconsistent policies and programs among agencies
				  charged with drug enforcement, treatment, education, prevention, rehabilitation
				  and drug and alcohol related public health matters;
3. Develop a comprehensive strategy to
				  improve the effectiveness and coordination of the efforts of State agencies
				  charged with drug enforcement, treatment, education, prevention, rehabilitation
				  and public health matters;
4.
				  Develop a system for coordinating the implementation, monitoring the
				  performance and evaluating the effectiveness of State efforts to reduce drug
				  trafficking and related crime, drug and alcohol abuse and related health and
				  social problems and to improve drug education and prevention;
5. Plan long-range and short-term drug
				  control strategies from a systemwide perspective, taking into account the
				  enforcement, education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, health and
				  research needs of the State and its communities;
6. Coordinate the activities of all State
				  agencies charged with, or affected by, the implementation of drug program
				  initiatives;
7. Review drug-related
				  budgetary and programmatic initiatives of State agencies from a systemwide
				  perspective and recommend priorities, modifications and improvements;
8. Act as the Governor's liaison with private
				  sector drug treatment, counselling and rehabilitation providers, educators,
				  scientists, physicians and academics, parents groups, crime victims services
				  providers, advocates for youth and for the drug and alcohol dependent, and
				  voluntary charitable, religious, educational and public service associations
				  and other groups involved or seeking involvement in a strong and growing
				  public/private partnership to advance drug and alcohol abuse treatment,
				  prevention and education efforts;
9. Consult with local governments and their
				  criminal justice, education, public health and drug and alcohol abuse agencies
				  regarding their recommendations for improvements to drug control efforts and
				  initiatives;
10. Review and assess
				  the experience of other states, the Federal Government and of other nations in
				  the development of programs and initiatives to address aspects of the drug
				  problem;
11. Identify, promote and
				  publicize anti-drug abuse programs and initiatives found to be of particular
				  merit;
12. Make a special and
				  concerted effort to encourage programs and initiatives in every community that
				  effectively alert young people to the dangers and the consequences of drug
				  abuse and drug crime; and
13.
				  Promote strict accountability at every level of government and assure the
				  effective and prudent expenditure of public resources through the continual
				  evaluation, assessment, improvement and coordination of the programs and
				  policies of law enforcement, substance and alcohol abuse, education, health and
				  other public agencies charged with the conduct of the campaign against
				  drugs.