DASH - A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN SUFFOLK COUNTY

A major gap in central Suffolk County's substance use and mental health treatment infrastructure has recently been filled thanks to the leadership of the Family Service League, the Suffolk County Health Department, the NYS Office of Mental Health, and others.

Last week FSL opened the doors to DASH, the first crisis stabilization center on Long Island for people experiencing mental health or substance use-related crises. DASH will have 24/7 medical staff available to help stabilize people in crisis and work with them and their families to get them into appropriate care. Walk-ins are welcome.

For those experiencing crises related to opioid use disorder, medical staff at DASH will be able to prescribe buprenorphine to reduce opioid cravings. Training for medical staff on OUD treatment was provided by Dr. Leslie Marino.

DASH employs peer counselors who will take responsibility for follow-up with DASH visitors to ensure continuity of care. Training for peer counselors was provided by the Long Island Recovery Association, a key partner in LI-CAN's opioid work.

FSL's mobile crisis response teams will operate out of DASH, and will be able to coordinate with first responders so that those experiencing mental health crises aren't taken into police custody or sent for unnecessary emergency room visits. Stabilization centers like DASH save taxpayer dollars and get people into appropriate treatment.

Congratulations to Pat Ferrandino and the leadership of FSL, to Ann Marie Csorny and other leaders of the Suffolk County Health Department, and the many others who were instrumental in launching DASH.

DASH's ribbon cutting on March 1 received excellent coverage by Newsday's David Olson.

Patricia Ferrandino gives LI-CAN's Opioid Action Team a tour of DASH -- the Diagnostic, Assessment and Stabilization Hub recently launched by the Family Service League in Hauppauge.