D4DPR Testimony at the NY Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board Meeting

On February 25, 2026, Doctors for Drug Policy Reform (D4DPR) delivered testimony at the New York Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board meeting.

The Advisory Board meets quarterly to make recommendations to the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) on how Opioid Settlement Funds (OSF) should be allocated. These funds represent a historic opportunity to strengthen New York’s public health response to overdose, but how they are directed will determine whether they expand life-saving care or are allocated towards ineffective systems.   

During public testimony, advocates, service providers, and community members from across New York state powerfully shared personal experiences about the urgent need to expand harm reduction services.  

The evidence is clear: these interventions reduce overdose deaths, prevent infectious disease transmission, and improve outcomes for people who use drugs. 

Dr. Betty Kolod was one of the few medical professionals who testified (watch her testimony at the 2:32:40 mark. You can read her testimony here).  

While many Advisory Board members are strong allies, one reality stood out: medical voices are largely missing from this conversation. 

Betty’s testimony made it abundantly clear that, as clinicians, we see firsthand how stigma, criminalization, unstable drug supply, and structural inequities drive preventable overdose. Black, brown, and low-income New Yorkers continue to experience the highest overdose mortality rates. At a time of federal funding cuts, Medicaid uncertainty, and increasing pressure on harm reduction programs, oversight of settlement funds is critical.

The authority of the medical community strengthens the case for directing OSF toward:

• Evidence-based overdose prevention and treatment, including medications for opioid use disorder
• Community-based harm reduction programs
• Integrated, low-barrier models of care
• Non-punitive approaches that prioritize patient safety and dignity
• Investments that expand infrastructure rather than supplant existing public health funding

Your voice carries weight in these decisions.

How can our members get involved:

TAKE ACTION

Watch Dr. Betty Kolod’s testimony (at the 2:32:40 mark) 

Read Dr. Kolod's testimony

Sign the New York medical professional letter supporting evidence-based OSF allocation.

JOIN POSE (Physicians for Opioid Settlement Equity)

If you practice in New York or New Jersey, our POSE initiative connects clinicians to:

• Advocacy trainings
• Coordinated policy actions
• Opportunities to testify
• Partnerships with grassroots organizations working on equitable OSF spending

Learn more about POSE here

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JOIN THE D4DPR HEALTH ADVOCACY NETWORK (HAN)
A national network for medical professionals engaged in drug policy reform and innovative public health strategies.

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ATTEND OUR UPCOMING TRAINING: HOW TO TESTIFY EFFECTIVELY

March 25, 2026

Featuring HAN member Dr. Jeff Singer. This 1-hour training for our HAN and POSE Advocates will improve your skills and help you deliver powerful and confident testimony. Details coming soon. This training is only open to HAN/POSE members. If you're not a member, join now!

 (This training will be recorded and available to HAN and POSE members through the POSE and HAN resource hubs.)

This is a pivotal moment. The opioid settlement funds can either reinforce outdated approaches or expand evidence-based care that prevents overdose and stabilizes communities.

We need more clinicians in the room.

Join us.