STEP RIGHT UP –
April 1, 2024 – “This kind of initiative is about using harm reduction, bringing services to where people are; it’s about using an evidence-based strategy,” Dr. Cunningham. “We know methadone improves people’s lives. It’s about equity and serving those people who wouldn’t ordinarily, necessarily receive this service.”
Dr. Cunningham said the agency has allocated over $5 million to get MMU up and running. In June 2023, she said that up to 35 vans would be funded and deployed throughout the state, but that number dropped to 11. Two were operational by January, New York Focus reported.
Crucially, the van can induct new people on methadone. This is likely to save lives.
VIP’s MMU currently stops in the parking lots of two inpatient drug treatment programs. Crucially, it not only dispenses medication to people who are already enrolled in methadone programs, but can induct new people on methadone.
This is likely to save lives.
Told it wasn’t possible to observe the van dispensing methadonedue to privacy concerns, I toured the empty MMU with VIP staff, as it stood in the parking lot of one of their supportive housing programs.
