New York City, N.Y., Sep 15, 2018 / 05:01 am
A Catholic Charities in New York has received a nearly $1 million grant to provide care to opioid addicts in rural counties in the southern part of the state.
This year the Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster received $982,356 in federal funding, as part of N.Y. Governor Andrew Cuomo's $25 million plan to tackle the state's opioid crisis. This is the second year Catholic Charities has received funding to fight opioid abuse.
Dr. Dean Scher, CEO of this local Catholic Charities, told CNA that 10 percent of the U.S. population suffer from opioid abuse. He said opioid related deaths average about 185 per day in the nation.
The money will help Catholic Charities to provide addiction services, like more staff and equipment, to the New York counties of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster, about 70 miles north of New York City. Scher said many of these people struggle with transportation issues.