September is the National Recovery Month. To commemorate, EAC Network is holding a Meet and Greet at the New Path Treatment Center on 175 Fulton Ave., Hempstead on Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Over 1.9 million New Yorkers (1.77 million adults and 156,000 youth ages 12-17) have a substance abuse problem”, according to the New York State Department of Health. EAC’s New Path Treatment Center is an Office of Addiction and Services and Support (OASAS) licensed outpatient program designed to assist individuals struggling with a substance use disorder.

Neela Mukherjee Lockel, the president and CEO of EAC Network stated “Substance abuse disorder is not an individual’s issue to face alone. At our New Path facility, we help those suffering from substance abuse, their families, and support network to assure a new path to recovery.”

In celebration of Recovery Month, Neela Mukherjee Lockel along with New Path Treatment Center Staff will meet with the community to educate them about the services available at the center and let them know that help is available while distributing school supplies and other items to the neighborhood.

The crisis of opioid misuse and overdose and opioid use disorder (OUD) is causing a devastating health problem in the United States. Current national trends show that each year more people die of overdoses. In Nassau County, to help counter the issue, EAC treats yearly hundreds of patients from the use of varieties of substances from alcohol to drugs.

Sherri Flournoy Program Director EAC New Path Treatment Center stated: “In recognizing that recovery is possible and is a lifelong journey, we can help to reduce the stigma of substance use and mental health disorders. Our role at New Path is to assist individuals to achieve and maintain their recovery goals. Our services follow a recovery model whereby participants are encouraged to develop their intrinsic motivation to make healthy lifestyle choices.”

The goals and objectives of the New Path Treatment Center, among others, are to:

• Help individuals achieve and sustain long-term recovery
• Design person-centered recovery plans conducive to meeting the needs of the individual
• Identify and attain vocational and educational goals

The center facilitates a myriad of recovery groups and conducts individual sessions.

Come and join us at the meet and greet on Sept. 20 in our demarche to educate the community about the diverse programs available to help recover from substance abuse.

EAC Network is a non-profit, diverse human services agency that responds to the needs of over 54,000 individuals with over 100 critically necessary programs and direct support services throughout Long Island and New York City.