District seeks offers to replace closed rehabilitation clinics

ITHACA, NY – Tompkins County authorities have begun efforts to replace the short-lived Alcohol and Drug Council detoxification and stabilization center, issuing three requests for proposals (RFP) on Wednesday inviting agencies to submit their plans.

A statement from county officials said organizations submitting RFPs will compete for state funds to “fill current gaps in available services to support Tompkins County residents struggling with substance abuse.”

After years of discussions, the Alcohol and Drug Council’s stabilization center or detoxification facility opened to great acclaim in the summer of 2023. It was the only facility of its kind in the county.

The operation of the center was initially only possible to a limited extent due to insufficient nursing staff, but the announcement that the center would be closed for financial reasons just five months later came as an abrupt surprise on site.

The RFPs, announced together but released as three separate requests, outline three services the county wants to provide: prevention services such as education and information dissemination, a supervised outpatient clinic, and supervised detoxification and inpatient stabilization services to be housed in A&DC’s former detoxification facility on North Triphammer Road.

Interested organizations can submit RFPs for any number of the three services. The submission deadline is August 20, 2024 at 2 p.m. The winning bid is expected to be announced by September 17.

The state’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) has provided $1.7 million to be split between the county’s three requested services, a county statement said.

The agency has set aside $184,782 for prevention services, $168,545 for outpatient services and about $600,000 for stabilization services.

The stabilization service must “provide appropriate care to people who are acutely suffering from alcohol and/or drug addiction” and offer them a safe environment for withdrawal, the RFP states.

County authorities are looking for organizations with “proven experience in providing addiction prevention and treatment services.”

The organization whose bid is awarded the contract is responsible for program and service design, staffing of the program, and compliance with OASAS regulations.

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