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Montefiore program to use $1.8 million grant to expand employment supports for people in recovery
Summary
Montefiore's substance abuse treatment program will use a $1.8 million award from the New York Office of Addiction Services and Supports to expand vocational and employment services as part of integrated outpatient and harm-reduction care, Dr. Eyal Belenki said in an interview on Open (BronxNet).
Montefiore's substance abuse treatment program has received a $1,800,000 grant from the New York Office of Addiction Services and Supports to build out employment services for patients, Dr. Eyal Belenki, senior director of Montefiore Einstein Psychiatric Services' substance abuse program, said on Open (BronxNet).
"This is really about living a meaningful life," Belenki said, describing the new funding as a way to hire vocational counselors and employment specialists to help patients build resumes, practice interviews and sustain work. "Recovery is more than about just stopping use or changing your use," he said.
Belenki told host Darren Heimy that Montefiore currently treats thousands of patients; the program serves more than 4,000 people in outpatient care and integrates on-site psychiatric and medical services. "Substance use disorders are medical conditions," he said. "They really are illnesses that have effective treatments for them that affect both psychological and physical health." He emphasized a harm-reduction approach that does not require immediate abstinence.
The clinic offers individualized outpatient care that can include group and individual counseling, psychiatric care and medications to reduce cravings. Belenki said services are tailored to patients' needs, from multiple weekly visits to monthly check-ins, and aim to help people practice recovery skills in everyday life.
Belenki also highlighted family supports: Montefiore's programs enroll partners and loved ones in training to communicate and set boundaries, and staff offer tools for families to support care and engagement.
The $1.8 million grant will expand employment-focused work already offered by the program, Belenki said, enabling Montefiore to hire specialized staff and bring in experts to connect patients to job opportunities and provide ongoing support. "Part of that is gaining the skills and the confidence to be able to seek out employment and be self-sufficient," he said.
The interview also covered trends Belenki has observed, including changes in substances used and increases in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said clinicians are watching increases in the lethality of some drugs and are focusing on keeping patients safe while providing evidence-based treatment.
Next steps described on the program: recruitment of vocational counselors, expansion of employment services across existing outpatient sites, and continued integration of mental-health care into substance use treatment. For more information, Heimy directed viewers to Montefiore's psychiatry services website.
