The legislation, which establishes a 24-hour hotline and a substance-abuse assistance smartphone app, was unanimously passed by the full Legislature on Aug. 6.
(Mineola, NY) Today, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signed two bills sponsored by Legislator Joshua Lafazan (Woodbury) that will lead to the creation of innovative new tools to assist Nassau County residents who are battling addiction.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signed two bills to establish a 24-hour substance abuse hotline through “Timothy’s Law.” Photo Credit: Nassau County.
The legislation, which was unanimously passed by the full Nassau County Legislature on Monday, Aug. 6, directs Nassau County to establish a 24-hour substance abuse hotline through “Timothy’s Law” and create a substance-abuse assistance smartphone app. Both are designed to provide resources for people who are struggling with addiction and their families.
“For months, my staff and I have been working diligently alongside County Executive Curran’s administration to devise new methods for reaching residents in crisis,” Legislator Lafazan said. “I am truly grateful for my colleagues’ unanimous support for creating new, life-saving tools that will connect people caught in the grip of the opioid crisis with the help they need.”
“Opioid addiction is a serious health crisis facing our society,” County Executive Curran said. “Since my first day in office we have worked hard to provide services and education to those families and individuals fighting substance abuse and the terrible disease of addiction. I applaud Legislator Lafazan for taking the lead on these bills and for his commitment for treatment options for Nassau County residents.”
While Nassau County has four hotlines for residents seeking behavioral health assistance, it lacks a dedicated 24 hour hotline for individuals and families in substance abuse-related crisis. Legislator Lafazan’s law directs the County to launch such a service, which will be staffed by certified substance abuse counselors and be equipped to receive web- and text-message inquiries.
For more information, please contact Danny Schrafel at 516-571-4214 or dschrafel@nassaucountyny.gov.
An RFP (request for proposals) will be issued by Aug. 31, and the hotline will be operational within 60 days of the date the RFP is awarded to a contractor.
Nassau County will also create and publish a smartphone app containing: a comprehensive directory of substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services; a ZIP code-searchable guide for treatment centers; a Narcan training calendar; support hotline telephone numbers; and links to county, state and federal resources. The app shall be available for download and fully operational no later than 60 days after the effective date of the resolution.
A 2014 report published by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that 21.5 million Americans over age 21 have struggled with some form of substance abuse. According to statistics cited by the office of New York State’s Attorney General, drug overdoses account for 32 percent of deaths of Nassau County residents ages 15-44. The substance abuse hotline legislation is named in memory of Timothy Kroll, who passed away in 2009 at age 23 after a three-year battle with addiction to painkillers and heroin. Inspired by his courageous journey in pursuit of recovery – as well as his desire to help other young people facing similar struggles – his mother, Teri Kroll, has become a tireless recovery advocate.
“These bills will provide exactly the type of information I needed to have at my fingertips when Tim was suffering. The fact that we will now be able to connect families to people in the field 24/7 is such a tremendous asset,” Mrs. Kroll said. “I am especially touched by how Timothy’s Law has been embraced and thank Legislator Lafazan for his years of dedication and friendship.”
