News Summary
Odyssey House is set to construct a $32 million, 20,000-square-foot addiction recovery facility on Wards Island, replacing its East Village location. The new complex, adjacent to the George Rosenfeld Center for Recovery, aims to enhance rehabilitation services, housing a 60-bed residential rehab program. This investment underscores the organization’s commitment to improving addiction support in New York City, as they also navigate a significant capital development plan that allocates additional funds for other facilities.
New York City – Odyssey House, a prominent drug treatment center, is making strides in addiction recovery by investing $32 million to construct a state-of-the-art facility on Wards Island. This new complex will span over 20,000 square feet and is slated to replace the existing treatment location on East 6th Street in the East Village.
The new facility, which will be situated next to the George Rosenfeld Center for Recovery, aims to enhance the addiction rehabilitation services provided in the region. The George Rosenfeld Center, which offers 231 residential beds, reopened in 2017 after substantial renovations, further indicating the city’s commitment to addressing addiction through improved infrastructure.
Odyssey House operates multiple drug and alcohol treatment programs across Manhattan and the Bronx, incorporating a range of health and social services into their offerings. This organization is involved in supportive housing initiatives and holds city contracts worth up to $10 million. Funding for the new Wards Island facility has been allocated through the Office of Addiction Supports and Services (OASAS).
The newly constructed complex will house a 60-bed residential rehab and reintegration program, based on filings submitted to the state Department of Health. This facility is designed to replace the Odyssey House Leadership Center, which focuses on supporting young adults in their recovery journey. All current clients and staff from the Leadership Center will be transitioned to the new location as part of the planned development.
Significantly larger than the East Village Leadership Center, which measures approximately 16,000 square feet, the new facility will provide improved space and modern amenities for its clients. It is expected to enhance access to essential medical, educational, and recreational facilities available within the Wards Island campus, contributing positively to the recovery process.
During the transition to the new facility, the Leadership Center will remain operational for several years to ensure current clients receive continued support while renovations take place at other sites. The construction of the Wards Island facility is part of a more extensive capital development initiative amounting to $40 million. This initiative will also involve a renovation project at a 53,000-square-foot site in East Harlem, which is projected to cost $40 million in addition to $11 million allocated for furnishings and equipment.
The East Harlem facility aims to include a total of 196 beds for drug and alcohol recovery, positioning itself to capitalize on the state Medicaid waiver for treatment providers. This waiver supports providers transitioning to a fee-for-service model, enhancing the financial capacity to improve recovery services.
In terms of financial stability, Odyssey House reported $38 million in revenue for the year 2023, with most funding coming from government sources. Program services contributed an additional $7 million to their funding pool. Over the past two years, the organization has secured contracts totaling nearly $18 million from the state’s opioid settlement funds, bolstering its financial outlook despite the challenges presented by the recovery landscape.
It is important to note that these funding figures do not take into account additional settlements with the city and other local jurisdictions that were excluded from the recent records requests. Thus, the scale of financial resources supporting Odyssey House’s operations could potentially be higher, reflecting a broader push towards enhancing addiction recovery efforts in New York City.
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Additional Resources
- Crain’s New York: Odyssey House Plans Extension Clinic on Wards Island
- Wikipedia: Addiction Treatment
- Crain’s New York: City Correctional Dental Services Contract Grows
- Google Search: Addiction Recovery Programs
- DNAinfo: In-Patient Drug Treatment Center – George Rosenfeld Center for Recovery
- Google Scholar: Drug Treatment Centers
- Dignity Memorial: George Rosenfeld Obituary
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Drug Abuse

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