Federal funding to expand opioid treatment options statewide may provide more treatment avenues in St. Lawrence County.

St. Lawrence, along with 25 other counties including Franklin and Lewis, could benefit from $3.9 million in federal money to increase access to addiction treatment services, including the hiring or contracting for additional buprenorphine prescribers.

A press release from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office said each county will have the flexibility to develop resources and services to address the specific needs within the county. Services can include mobile treatment services, increased use of peers, telehealth, increased prescriber capacity, or other options.

The funding is part of more than $9 million in federal dollars to expand treatment services across New York, the press release said.

This funding includes $5.7 million to expand access to medication assisted treatment, $2.1 million to develop new recovery centers in areas of high need, and over $1.3 million for specialized treatment and recovery programs.

These initiatives are being funded through the State Opioid Response Grant, which is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the press release said.

The following initiatives are also being funded with the federal money:

• $2,187,000 is available through a Request for Applications (RFA) for five new addiction recovery centers in high-need areas. Each center will receive $87,500 in start-up funding, and $350,000 in operating funding. RFA will be released for bids on December 4, 2018, and bids will be accepted through January 2, 2019. Interested parties can review the RFA here.

• $1.5 million for OASAS Open Access Centers to hire or contract with buprenorphine prescribers. This action is expected to create access to buprenorphine for at least 1,000 new individuals.

• $600,000 to support increased transportation initiatives. Funds will be allocated to programs who provide transportation services to individuals seeking treatment in their communities. Within this funding, support is provided to Save the Michaels in Western New York for their innovative program which connects and transports New Yorkers who are being diverted by the courts into treatment.

• $300,000 for the REACH (Respectable Equitable Accessible Compassionate Healthcare) primary care practice program. REACH will collaborate with OASAS on the State Opioid Response grant to help support expansion of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the rural Southern Tier Region of New York. The requested funding will support the cost of MAT for 217 patients for a 12-month period.

• $300,000 for the Specialized Peer Services Program. This program will target individuals who have been released from prison or jail to communities in New York City, and are in need of re-entry services including recovery, substance use disorder, and mental health services, as well as wrap-around services. The peers will offer support to individuals re-entering their communities, including helping them with recovery plans, skill development, and obtaining services.

• $250,000 for a collaboration with the Center on Addiction. Will support the development and testing of a tool that treatment providers can use to assess treatment progress and provide better quality of care for people with opioid use disorders as well as other substance use disorders.

• $200,000 for first responder training on addiction. The Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems will create classes to train EMS providers in New York State on how to work with individuals experiencing intoxication to opioids or other substances. This program will be developed with Regional Emergency Management Organizations.