DePaul Community Services in Rochester was awarded $87,182 by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), part of $2 million awarded statewide, for the Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program. These awards, through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund, represent a strategic expansion of the successful initiative first established in 2023. This funding is being provided to community-based programs, directly addressing workforce shortages and removing financial barriers for individuals dedicated to joining or advancing within the addiction workforce.
“We have seen tremendous success from the first round of scholarship funding, which has allowed more than 1,000 people to receive either a credential or degree to advance their careers in the addiction services field,” OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said. “A strong addiction workforce is vital to helping New Yorkers across the state who have been impacted by this epidemic, and we look forward to further supporting expansions to the field with this new funding.”
The Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program provides funding for New Yorkers to obtain a credential, such as a Credentialed Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP), or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA), or an Associate Degree along with an integrated CASAC program or Bachelor’s Degree in Addiction Studies. To date, between community-based organizations and SUNY and CUNY schools, more than 1,300 individuals have received scholarship funding through this program.
Learn more about the Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program at https://oasas.ny.gov/addiction-professionals-scholarship-program.
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