According to the New York State department of Mental Health, roughly 12% of citizens over the age of 12 are currently experiencing SUD in New York state in any given year. That translates into over 1.9 million New Yorkers struggling with addiction. 

With this many people suffering in the state of New York, it’s clear that there’s a need for more addiction treatment providers in the state. 

Read on to learn about what it takes to open an addiction treatment center - sometimes known as drug rehabs or inpatient treatment facilities - in the Empire State. 

All Addiction Treatment Providers and Centers in New York Must be Certified by OASAS

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) oversees all certification and regulation of addiction treatment providers in the state. 

Unlike some states, certification in New York is not optional for addiction treatment providers. Skip this step at your peril!

Getting Your Addiction Treatment Program Certified in New York is a Three Step Process 

In many states, you simply submit your application to the appropriate office (along with a check for your fees) and you wait for a response. 

In New York, the process is more involved. 

First, you go through a “consultation phase,” where you meet and discuss your plans with the OASAS Regional Office (RO) and the Local Governmental Unit (LGU) for your location. After the initial consultation conversation, both the RO and the LGU make a recommendation for how (and if) to move forward. 

Next, you obtain your official endorsement from both the RO and LGU. This is called the “endorsement phase.” 

Finally, after consultation and endorsement, you can finally submit an application to the OASAS Certification Bureau, the OASAS Regional Office and the LGU you’ve been working with. Congratulations, you’ve reached the “application phase.”

The Application for Addiction Treatment Center Certification in New York is 24 Pages Long  

Once you’ve moved to the application phase, you’ll need to provide an incredibly large amount of information to the state, including:

• “Entity” or Corporate structure information 

• OASAS number

• Any existing licenses, certifications or accreditations you’ve received

• An explanation of the “owners and principals” experience in chemical dependence services 

• Site information

• Zoning classification and compliance

• Certificate of occupancy

• Description of services 

• Assessment of need 

• Description of areas to be served 

• Philosophy statement 

• Planned performance measures 

• Policies and procedures manual

• Resource Allocation 

• Detailed revenue projections, including client/patient fees, TANF income, Medicaid income, Federal and State grants, etc 

• Detailed expenses projections, including salaries, wages, benefits, consultation services, equipment costs, property expenses, etc

Some of these items - like entity information and zoning compliance - are completely standard in nearly every state. The financial transparency requirements, however, are unusual. Most states do not require the level of financial detail that New York asks of new applicants. 

OASAS does provide a Quick Reference Guide to the OASAS Chemical Dependence Certification Application, which sorts out what forms you’ll need to submit and in what order to become a new OASAS provider. Think of it as a handy checklist for the process. 

And, yes, the complete OASAS Chemical Dependence Certification Application is 24 pages long, including various appendices which you may or may not be required to fill out depending on the specifics of your program. 

Before You Start the Application Process for Certification of Your Addiction Treatment Center in New York, Do Your Due Diligence 

It’s a good idea to read up on the many regulations the state of New York has placed on substance abuse treatment providers. If you need more specific legal information about the rules and regulations that govern “Substance Use Disorder Inpatient Rehabilitation Services” in New York, you can read all of the relevant sections of “mental hygiene law” here. 

It’s also smart to check out the competition and survey the market for holes and opportunities. OASAS also offers a handy searchable database of all addiction treatment providers in the state, sorted by target population age, gender and location that’s suited to this very purpose. 

If You’re Opening an Addiction Treatment Center in New York, We Can Help 

Overwhelmed? Don’t be.

Behave Health is committed to making it easier - and more profitable - to operate evidence-based, results-focused addiction treatment centers.  

Our all-in-one app puts clinical, administration, staff, admissions, alumni, residents, treatment plans, billing, insurance authorizations and more - all at your fingertips. 

Get your organization off to a strong start from the beginning. Don’t let disorganization and chaos stifle your business’ potential.

Get your free trial started today and see why more addiction treatment centers prefer Behave Health.