Wards Island just scored a major new addiction treatment hub, as Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday celebrated the opening of the Kate Rothko Center for Recovery, a newly built $32 million, 60-bed residential addiction treatment center. Operated by Odyssey House, the three-story facility offers medication for addiction treatment along with withdrawal and stabilization services, counseling, and individualized medical and psychosocial supports for adult men in early recovery. State officials describe the center as part of an expansion of evidence-based addiction services meant to improve access across New York City.
In a press release via Governor Kathy Hochul, the governor said, “Every New Yorker deserves access to care that meets them with dignity, compassion and hope.” The release notes that the 22,500-square-foot building was funded by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports and built with project management provided by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. State officials framed the project as a step toward strengthening the continuum of care and reducing overdose deaths.
How It Was Built
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York handled project management and used modular construction to speed delivery on a tight site, transporting 71 factory-built modules that were assembled in just 16 days. Delivery required coordination for oversized loads, bridge access, and escorted transport through city streets, according to the state. DASNY President and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said the project "reflects the technical expertise and partnership required to turn critical State investments into places where New Yorkers can heal" in the press release via the Governor's Office.
What the Center Offers
The Kate Rothko Center for Recovery integrates medication-for-addiction treatment - including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone - with withdrawal management, individual and group counseling, and medical care in a single residential setting, according to Odyssey House. The center has space for 60 residents and offers vocational and recovery-coaching programs designed specifically for men in early recovery. Residents will also have direct access to nearby medical, dental, and recreational services at the adjacent George Rosenfeld Center for Recovery.
Why It Matters
State officials describe the center as part of a broader strategy to expand treatment capacity after a multi-year push to get more people into evidence-based care. Data from the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports shows overdose deaths fell sharply in recent years, a trend the agency credits to expanded access to medication-based treatment and harm-reduction programs. Supporters say more residential beds can make it easier for people to stabilize without long travel times to care, and advocates point to the center's programming - including clinical, psychosocial, and vocational supports - as critical to helping residents transition back to community life.
What’s Next
The Kate Rothko Center for Recovery was dedicated June 4 with partners, donors, and officials on hand, and the facility is named for Odyssey Foundation Chair Kate Rothko Prizel, a longtime advocate for recovery equity. Odyssey House says the center will join its five-decade roster of residential and outpatient programs in the city and aims to connect residents to housing and employment services when they leave treatment, according to Odyssey House.
