Outreach recovery agency getting $1.25M for training

Outreach, a nonprofit agency focused on alcohol and substance abuse treatment and recovery, will receive a two-year grant of $1.25 million.

The money comes from the first phase of opioid settlement funds for Suffolk County. The grant will go towards adding credentialed addiction and substance abuse counselors, providing Suffolk County Workforce Development Scholarships for 200 county residents to attend the Outreach Training Institute’s Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor training.

The new free training opportunity for the community will lead to immediate job training and placement and help to fill workforce gaps throughout the county. In operation since 1997, the Outreach Training Institute is licensed by the state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and delivers 350 hours of education required for the credentialed training. 

Scholarships will be dispensed over the next two years and will include the cost of all coursework for recipients, valued at $5,950 per person. In addition, 40 students will receive paid internships at Outreach and other Suffolk county treatment locations, with each receiving a stipend of $1,500. 

For more information about OTI visit: opiny.org/about-oti/