Press Inquiries: Inez Sieben, Chief Strategy Officer, IMSieben@vipservices.org, (347) 978-4912
Bronx supportive housing at Ruiz Butter Residence opens
March 12, 2024 – VIP Community Services celebrated the opening of its Ruiz Butter House with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 12. This supportive housing facility is located at 1899 Crotona Ave. and has 65 individual and family units. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and former City Councilmember Mark Gjonaj were also present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Read more.
VIP Community Services celebrates new men’s homeless shelter in Harlem
March 5, 2024 – VIP Community Services celebrated their 2024 Harlem Shelter Ribbon Cutting. This new men’s shelter in Harlem is located at 170 East 123rd St. and caters to single males with mental health diagnoses. This is a 135-bed facility for those in need. Those needs also include health and wellness programs, meals, assistance with housing, social services and more. VIP remains committed in assisting our communities to end homelessness and other issues. Read more.
Center for Health Care Strategies Case Study
February 13, 2024 – With the goal of further increasing the provision of MOUD, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) has released Integrating Medications for Opioid Use Disorder at FQHCs with funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The series includes four case studies that describe FQHCs that have integrated MOUD into clinical practice, including VIP Community Services: An Opioid Treatment Program in the Bronx, New York. Read more.
Mayor Adams Launches Program To Create 1,500 Permanent Affordable Homes For New Yorkers In Shelter
February 8, 2024 – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park today launched the Affordable Housing Services (AHS) initiative — a new effort that will create 1,500 permanent affordable homes for New Yorkers in the shelter system with City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) vouchers. Through an emergency declaration issued today, DSS will fast-track 1,000 of those units. Read more.
Praise for Final Methadone, Buprenorphine Rule
February 8, 2024 – Addiction treatment specialists and other clinicians are lauding a final federal rule they say will remove the stigma associated with opioid use disorder and make it easier to prescribe and dispense treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine. Read more.
Gov. Hochul joins local leaders and mental health pioneers to tackle ongoing crisis
December 6, 2023 – Gov. Kathy Hochul met with local leaders and trailblazers to discuss an expansion of services to tackle the mental health and addiction crisis.
The roundtable discussion aimed to shed light on the services that places like VIP Community Services in the Bronx are offering to those in need – including a new mobile medication unit that serves patients citywide. Read more.
Debbian Fletcher-Blake Named 2023 Empire Whole Health Hero
November 27, 2023 – Since 2020, Empire BlueCross BlueShield has been honoring leaders in New York and the metropolitan region who exemplify public service and professional devotion as they work to improve the financial, physical and mental health of their communities and workplaces. Read more.
NYC Mobile Medication Unit ready to roll out, dole out opioid medication
November 8, 2023 – When the van arrives in a neighborhood, anyone who wants treatment can step up to the window and receive the medication they need. Having this access can reduce the risk of overdose by 50%, according to OASAS. Read the article here. Watch the video here.
VIP 1 of 300+ Groups to Call for Reauthorization of SUPPORT Act
November 8, 2023 – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released a statement bringing attention to the over 300 substance-abuse prevention and treatment, mental health and other policy organizations that have called on the HELP Committee to take up and reauthorize the SUPPORT Act, which funds important programs that bolster prevention, treatment, and recovery services for Americans with substance use disorders. Read more.
Bronx Times: VIP Community Services Annual Gala
October 13, 2023 – VIP Community Services held its annual Gala at Marina del Rey. The theme of the event was Changing Lives, One at a Time. Read more. Page 62.
Bronxites come together for International Overdose Awareness Day
September 1, 2023 – Bronxites came together Thursday on International Overdose Awareness Day to honor those who died from overdoses, celebrate those who live in recovery and call for awareness and action. Read more.
VIP Among America’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers 2023
July 21, 2023 – Newsweek and Statista are partnering for a fourth year to rank America’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers. This year we recognize 360 leading addiction treatment facilities in the United States. This ranking is based on a national online survey of over 4,000 medical professionals in the addiction treatment industry and accreditation data provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Read more.
VIP Community Services Named Finalist in 3rd Annual NYC Imagine Awards
August 21, 2023 – VIP Community Services is a finalist in the Innovation category of the prestigious 3rd Annual NYC Imagine Awards. The Imagine Awards were established to recognize and celebrate the most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations in the NYC metro area. Read More.
News12 Brooklyn: Mobile health center helps bring resources amid country’s opioid crisis
July 20, 2023 – As the opioid crisis continues nationwide, one local facility is bringing several resources to New Yorkers.
The Mobile Medication Unit, in collaboration with VIP Community Services and Office of Addiction Services and Support, is offering opioid treatment services as well as clinical services for residents, extending access to resources like physical exams, counseling and peer support and its effort is to combat overdose deaths citywide. Read More.
New York Announces First Mobile Methadone Van as the opioid crisis continues nationwide
August 7, 2023 – A Operated by VIP Community Services, an opioid treatment program (OTP) in the Bronx, a “ribbon cutting” was held last month for the first mobile methadone van in New York state. The state’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The mobile unit will provide a wide range of addiction services and other medical care in the New York City area. Read More.
Capitol Pressroom and Debbian Fletcher-Blake: New York deploying mobile drug treatment services
August 1, 2023 – New York is investing $6 million in federal funds to operate mobile medication units to expand access to drug addiction services around the state. We discuss the initiative with Debbian Fletcher-Blake, president & CEO of VIP Community Services, which began operating a mobile unit this summer in New York City. Listen here.
30 local hospitals achieve ‘A’ ratings for social responsibility: Lown Institute
July 20, 2023 – Thirty local hospitals in New York and New Jersey have achieved the Lown Institute’s highest overall rating–an A–for social responsibility, according to a new Hospital Index ranking from the nonprofit think tank. Read More.
NYS OASAS Announces Opening Of First Mobile Medication Unit In New York State
July 21, 2023 – The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) today announced the opening of the first Mobile Medication Unit (MMU) in New York State. Operated by VIP Community Services, this new mobile unit will provide a wide range of addiction services and other medical care in the New York City area. This program is being supported with $550,000 in federal funding under the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Supplemental Grant, administered by OASAS. Read more.
