Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a press conference Wednesday afternoon, calling on Senate leadership to include funding for substance use disorder and mental health care services in the next coronavirus relief package.
Advocates are calling for over $40 billion in aid for the services. Due to the social isolation, increased financial stress, loss of work and structured time along with the daily stress and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, overdoses have increased across the state of New York and the country. In Albany and Rensselaer Counties overdose deaths have increased by over 40% compared to last year.