Resources for Research and Analysis

Below is a list of data sources and reference material we have used to derive our analysis on oversaturation of drug treatment facilities and homeless shelters:

Below are some of the graphics generated using these research resources to demonstrate the issue at hand:

  • OASAS has allowed Harlem to be overly concentrated with methadone dispensing clinics
  • Drill down to see the excessive concentration in East Harlem and Central Harlem in 2019
  • Harlem has 19% of drug treatment programs but only 8% of NYC's patients
    Harlem has 19% of drug treatment programs but only 8% of NYC’s patients
  • Staten Island has more overdose death than Harlem but much less drug treatment capacities
  • Treatment desserts – districts with no opioid treatment centers in NYC
  • Mount Sinai’s Concentration in Harlem
  • In Harlem, drug treatment clinics are located near our schools
  • NYC Crime Map

Oversaturation of drug treatment centers fuels drug related crimes in the area and overdose deaths of Harlem and non-Harlem residents

BAckground information on opioid epidemic and activism aimed to push back on placement of drug treatment clinics

  • 2020 Mar: NYC Bronx: A packed townhall meeting pushed back on proposed drug treatment center on Councilman Gjonaj – (cbslocal.com)
  • 2019 Nov: Philadelphia: Residents push back on safe injection site– (NPR)
  • 2018 Sept: Nationwide background info: In 8 years, deaths caused by overdoes doubled. In 2017, opioid related death claimed 49,068 lives, plus cocaine related death claimed 72,306 lives – (nydailynews.com)
  • 2018 May: NYC Inwood & others: Mayor, with support from NYPD, planned 4 new safe injection sites, called “Overdose prevention centers” in Gowanus, Washington heights, midtown and the Bronx despite witnessing quality of life issues in Canada caused by these sites – (NY Daily News, The Daily Wire)
  • 2017: NYC Harlem: 231 bed $25M drug treatment center opened on Wards Island – (nydailynews.com)
  • 2017: Orange country in California: Investigated into homelessness caused by California becoming a “hub for rehab” – (ocregister.com)
  • 2017: North New Jersey: Neighbors demand to know how ‘rehab’ house opened without notification – (northjersey.com)
  • 2011: NYC Financial District: Pushed back on expansion of Maiden Lane Methadone clinic- (DNAinfo)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON OPIOID EPIDEMIC AND ACTIVISM AIMED TO PUSH BACK ON PLACEMENT OF HOMELESS SHELTERS

  • 2020 Dec: NYC Districts pushes back on housing affordable housing planned by Mayor – (nytimes.com)
  • 2020 Dec: NYC Upper West Side: The residents in Upper West Side Lucerne homeless shelter filed a law suit on decision to relocate them – (nydailynews.com)
  • 2020 Nov: NYC Downtown: Downtown residents filed a law suit against movement of homeless shelter to downtown hotel – (nydailynews.com)
  • 2020 Mar: Treatment of 30,000 NYC methadone patients in COVID and new mobile methadone delivery pilot –(filtermag.org, Next City, nypost.com)
  • [NEW] 2019 Dec: Description of the medical challenges faced by residents in homeless shelters in New York City – (The New York Medical Journal)
  • 2019 Nov: NYC Ozone Park: 500 residents pushed back on new homeless shelter. 1 man went on hunger strike! – (citylimits.org)
  • 2019 Sept: NYC Harlem Wards Island: Wards Island Homeless Shelter managed by Andrew Cuomo’s sister gets new 4 year renewal worth 45 million despite 22 code citation- (THE CITY)
  • 2018 Jul: NYC Midtown: Billionaires Row group sues city over homeless shelter plan – (Nydailynews.com, Fox News)
  • 2016-2019: NYC: In 12 years, NYC homeless population surged 40% from 2011. The City counted almost 4000 people sleeping on the street and there is a 50-60,000 homeless population. Mayor launched turn the tide campaign to set up 130 shelters in the city – (Daily Mail Online, nydailynews.com, Curbed NY)
  • 2012: NYC Harlem: Wards Island Homeless population of 1000 has one bus M35 and the only drop off point is… 125 street and Lexington. The City Limits claimed many of these men are ex convicts and sex offenders – (citylimits.org)

Useful background information of how the drug treatment industry is structured and funded AND REGULATED:

  • 2020: Lack of drug treatment in rural areas in upstate New York and over concentration in NYC (wisc.edu)
  • 2020 Oct: OASAS and Department of Mental Health might merge (ny.gov)
  • 2020 Jul: Substance abuse treatment programs warn of ‘dire’ consequences from cuts – (buffalonews.com, poststar.com)
  • 2019 April: OASAS revised guidance in recertification to include DCP (Diversion Control Plan) to control resell of dispensed drugs – (OASAS)
  • 2019: OASAS certification application process – (SMA form, OASAS increase form, Instructions for the form, waiver form, introduction, actual regulation, accreditation program)
  • 2019: Wards Island Homeless Shelter Gets New Deal Despite Troubles – (THE CITY)
  • 2017: Minutes recording OASAS’ process of allocating capacities to Binghamton and the key metrics of AMA (Against Medical Discharge) as key success metrics (gobroomecounty.com)
  • 2014: research of variation in treatment received by different race and income groups in NYC – (nih.gov)
  • Insurers resisted covering drug rehab. Then her son overdosed and died– (Vox)
  • 1999: New York City has 36,000 addicted patients in year 1999 – ( Nymag)

Useful data sources for research: