Dear Governor Hochul:

First and foremost thank you for all your advocacy and support of people who suffer from substance use disorder, and live in recovery from it. Our family members and friends also thank you.

You sharing your family story has had an immense impact on those of us who fight every day to help others find their way to recovery. We have great hope that your choice to lead OASAS, Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, will make a OASAS what is should be - a partner with all of the stake holders, especially the recovery community. 

We believe that for Dr. Cunningham to achieve that partnership, she should appoint individuals with lived experiance to her OASAS leadership team.

It is clear that the lack of recovery leadership within the current tea at OASAS has had a significant and negative impact on the number of overdoses in NYS. According to the latest CDC information, New York Sate had more than 5,500 drug overdoses in the last 12 month period ending in March 2021, a 30% increase!!! The voice of those in recovery and their families and allies need to be heard!!!

We know that you care deeply about preventing New Yorkers from dealing with the effects of drug overdose and we believe with every fiber of our being that the best way to help is to surround  Dr. Cunningham with an OASAS leadership team that cares like she does and includes individuals with lived experience.

Thank you,

The Recovery Community of New York State, our friends and family members.