The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports has announced the availability of up to $1 million in funding for OASAS certified and funded prevention providers to establish and support paid internship positions. Providers can receive up to $21,000 under this initiative, which is focused on attracting diverse individuals into the prevention field and providing them a pathway towards a professional credential.
“Prevention is a vital part of the OASAS continuum of care, and it is important that we support the providers who deliver these services,” OASAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said. “This initiative will strengthen the prevention workforce and make it easier to recruit qualified and dedicated people to this rewarding field, while also providing them with a comprehensive learning and development program.”
The Paid Prevention Internship Opportunity (PPIO) program is intended to recruit talented, skilled, knowledgeable, and diverse staff to the field. This allows the providers to gain dedicated workers, allows the workers to receive valuable job experience and development, and provides an entry-level path towards a professional credential such as a Certified Prevention Professional (CPP) or Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS).
A key objective of this program is for providers to recruit interns to meet the needs of the populations and communities they serve. Applications that identify efforts to recruit Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ, refugee, and other minority groups will receive additional points in scoring. This program will also foster collaboration between the Prevention Provider system and College/University diversity programs, and employment training programs like SUNY EOC’s.
This funding will be awarded through a Request for Applications administered by OASAS, which is available to view at https://oasas.ny.gov/RFA-prevention-internship. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2022.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Available addiction treatment, including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care, can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.
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