ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday, March 30 the availability of money for New York State to help care providers with the growing addiction problem.

The governor announced that $2.2 million will be made available to help connect New Yorkers to addiction services and other forms of support. Dubbed “Connections to Care,” the initiative will provide 11 grants of $200,000 apiece for eligible providers to connect people to the services they need, including connections to transportation, housing programs, and legal services.

Target populations include those who are returning to the community from a jail sentence and those transitioning from drug programs back into the community.

The money will come from the state’s Opioid Settlement Fund, which is funded by settlements in opioid trials brought forth by Attorney General Letitia James. Funding will be awarded through a request for applications process.