Struggling with alcohol, cocaine, kratom, or prescription painkillers? As a New York State or local government employee, your insurance is built to cover the treatment you need — and we'll verify it for free, confidentially, with no obligation.
Alcohol Detox & Residential Medical supervision through withdrawal — one of the most covered benefits
Cocaine & Stimulant Treatment Inpatient and outpatient programs for cocaine use disorder
Kratom Dependency Treatment Covered under behavioral health — many don't realize this
Prescription Painkiller & Opioid Treatment Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin, Tramadol — all covered
PHP, IOP & Outpatient Programs All levels of care, including telehealth options
The New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) is one of the largest public employer health plans in the United States, covering over 1.2 million state and local government employees, retirees, and their families across New York.
Under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), your NYSHIP plan is legally required to cover substance use disorder and behavioral health treatment at the same level as any medical condition. This is federal law — not a courtesy.
Translation: if you're struggling, your benefits are there. The question is just how to use them.
NYSHIP covers employees at:Most NYSHIP members are enrolled in The Empire Plan — the flagship NYSHIP plan covering the majority of state employees. Behavioral health benefits under the Empire Plan are robust and include all levels of addiction treatment.
Depending on your region, you may instead be enrolled in a NYSHIP-participating HMO. Either way, treatment is a covered benefit under your plan.
NYSHIP-participating plans include:
We specialize in the substance use disorders most commonly seen in working professionals — people who are functioning, employed, and quietly struggling. Your NYSHIP benefits cover all of these.
Alcohol is the most common addiction among working professionals. High-stress public sector jobs — teaching, corrections, state agency work — create conditions where drinking can quietly escalate from stress relief to physical dependence. Many people don't realize they've crossed a line until they try to stop and can't.
Alcohol withdrawal is medically dangerous — symptoms include seizures, tremors, and delirium. Medical detox isn't just recommended; for many, it's lifesaving. Your Empire Plan covers it.
Cocaine use among professionals is often tied to performance pressure — long shifts, demanding caseloads, overtime. It starts as a way to stay sharp or unwind, and becomes a cycle of using to function and using to come down. People with stable careers and insurance are often shocked to find themselves dependent.
If you're using cocaine to get through the week, your NYSHIP benefits can pay for treatment — and no one at work needs to know.
Kratom is legal, sold in smoke shops and online, and marketed as a natural energy booster or pain reliever. Many people start taking it for legitimate reasons — chronic pain, fatigue, or to manage withdrawal from other substances — and end up physically dependent without realizing it.
Kratom withdrawal is real and uncomfortable: muscle aches, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and cravings that make it nearly impossible to stop alone. Your NYSHIP plan covers treatment.
Prescription opioid addiction often begins with a legitimate prescription — a back injury, surgery, or chronic pain — and spirals slowly. You're taking more than prescribed just to feel normal. You're thinking about your next dose at work. You've run out early and you're not sure what to do next. This is one of the most common presentations we see in government and school employees.
Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin, Tramadol, and other prescription opioids all cause physical dependence that requires medically supervised treatment. Your NYSHIP benefits were designed for exactly this.
NYSHIP and the Empire Plan cover the full continuum of addiction treatment. Our clinicians will recommend the appropriate level — and we'll confirm your coverage before you begin.
24-hour medical supervision through withdrawal. Essential for alcohol and benzodiazepine dependence, and helpful for opioids and kratom. The safest, most comfortable way to get through the first phase.
Full-time structured care in a treatment environment. Ideal when home or work environments make early recovery difficult. Typically follows detox for moderate-to-severe addiction.
5-6 hours of daily programming, 5 days a week. Intensive enough for real progress, flexible enough to return home each evening. Often the step-down from residential.
3-4 hours of programming, 3-5 days per week — including evening options. Designed for working professionals. Many of our NYSHIP clients continue working during IOP.
FDA-approved medications — Suboxone, Vivitrol, Naltrexone — combined with counseling. Especially effective for opioid and alcohol use disorders. Covered by Empire Plan.
When addiction and mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD occur together — which they often do in high-stress professions — both must be treated simultaneously for lasting recovery.
You've spent your career taking care of others. Addiction doesn't discriminate — it affects teachers, corrections officers, state workers, and school district employees just like anyone else. The difference is your NYSHIP benefits make treatment accessible right now.
School district employees across New York State
DOT, DOH, DOCCS, DMV, OTDA, and all agencies
First responders at municipal fire and EMS departments
Clerks, DPW, parks, social services, and municipal staff
Faculty, administrators, and staff at state universities
Library system staff enrolled in NYSHIP
Former state and local government employees on NYSHIP retiree coverage
Family members covered under a NYSHIP employee's plan
This is the question we hear most from NY State employees. The answer is no — and it's not just a promise, it's federal law.
Your treatment records are protected under HIPAA and the even stricter 42 CFR Part 2, which specifically governs substance use disorder records. We cannot share anything with your employer, union, or anyone else without your written consent.
Seeking treatment for addiction is protected. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people in recovery. Firing or disciplining an employee for seeking treatment may violate federal law.
Civil service employees often have additional union protections. Taking FMLA leave for a serious health condition — which addiction qualifies as — is a federally protected right.
Our admissions team will confidentially walk you through your specific situation before you make any decisions.
📞 Speak Confidentially: 213-321-6518We serve NY State and local government employees throughout New York, with a focus on communities where NYSHIP coverage is most concentrated — outside the NYC metro, where real people can get real help without the big-city wait times.
Most people are surprised at how straightforward this process is. Here's exactly what happens when you reach out.
Reach out by phone at 213-321-6518 or fill in the benefits form below. Our team is available 24/7 — no automated systems, no judgment.
We call NYSHIP or your Empire Plan HMO and determine exactly what your plan covers — deductible, copays, authorized days, and which programs are in-network.
A licensed clinician completes a brief phone assessment to understand your situation and recommend the right level of care. Takes about 20 minutes.
We handle the prior authorization paperwork with NYSHIP while you prepare for admission. Same-day or next-day admission is often possible.
Complete the form and our admissions team will contact NYSHIP or your Empire Plan HMO on your behalf — typically within a few hours. There is no cost and no obligation to enroll.
Protected under HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2. Your employer, union, and HR are never notified.
We verify most NYSHIP and Empire Plan benefits the same day you submit — often within 2-4 hours during business hours.
Our admissions line is available 24 hours a day: 213-321-6518. You'll speak to a real person immediately.
Real answers to what NY State and government employees ask us most. Call 213-321-6518 anytime for a personal answer.