LIRA is a committed voice in support of legislation that would give decision making authority for addiction treatment (type and duration) to Addiction Treatment Professionals (in New York State.
Until now these decisions have been rendered by dollar driven insurance companies and without question have contributed to the loss of countless lives. Client driven decisions made by clinicians on the front lines must become the norm. 

Each week someone we know shares another horrendous story about coverage for sorely needed life saving treatment being denied as insurers continue to discount the rights of those in needs of our families and friends in need of addiction treatment. We view these practices as civil rights violations, discriminatory in nature and devastating to families across New York. We must remain steadfast and united until these gross injustices are righted and people can access the treatment they need to get well. Treatment on demand is the only acceptable standard in this day and age.

Nationwide there are more then 23 Million Americans in Recovery, many of who have been able to find the path to freedom from addiction after building a strong foundation at an inpatient treatment center.  We are determined to stay the course until these discriminatory barriers are removed. 

We urge everyone to support ongoing efforts to improve access to treatment through a broad reaching statewide campaign to correct this long standing injustice.

Advocacy efforts continue to pay off. In June advocates state wide joined with our partners and the Governor as he signed a landmark legislative package into law to help address the addiction epidemic. These sweeping changes incorporated the recommendations of local communities through the work of several task force efforts, most recently the Governors Task force. We applaud our friends and task force members  Jeff Reynolds, Cortney Lovell, Kym Laube and Sue Salamone for helping to steer the discussions in the proper direction to embrace statewide grassroots input.
Below Long Island Advocates are among the group joining Governor Andrew Cuomo at the bill signing at SUNY Farmingdale in June 2016.