Westchester County Departmentof Community Mental Health

To learn more about the chronic disease of drug and alcohol addiction, visit:

• NIDA InfoFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction Information from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to help you understand what happens to your brain when you take drugs and why some people become addicted while others do not.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) An agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA provides information for professionals as well as the public on programs, campaigns, treatment locations, and publications related to substance abuse.
• New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services OASAS helps New Yorkers who are dealing with drug, alcohol or gambling addiction. The NYS HOPELine offers help and hope 24 hours a day 365 days a year. All calls are toll-free. Counselors offer anonymous and confidential information and referral services.

The following Web sites are resources for individuals and families with alcohol and substance abuse issues:

• Inter-Group Association of Alcoholics Anonymous of New York (AA) is a self-help recovery program for those experiencing problems with alcohol use.
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a self-help recovery program for those experiencing problems with drug use.
• Al-Anon and Alateen is a self-help program for family members and friends who are affected by a loved one's use of alcohol and drugs and does not work.
• Debtors Anonymous is an organization providing information and support for those experiencing problems with gambling. 
• The Partnership for a Drug Free America provides specific information about different drugs and their effects, including strategies for keeping children drug-free. 

In Westchester County, there exists a network of Community Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalitions whose mission is to decrease the number of children using drugs and alcohol, decrease the risk factors, and increase the protective factors associated with substance abuse use in children. To find out more information or to become a member of the coalition in your community, contact one of the coalitions below.