By Legislator Olena Nicks
For many Americans, accessing mental health care is more challenging than it needs to be. Whether the cause is issues with medical insurance or a pervasive stigma that inhibits people from accessing the care they need and deserve, each of us has a role to play in lowering those barriers so we can all thrive and live our best lives.
That is why I am especially grateful to be joining the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) Public Health and Mental Health Standing Committee, a body that plays an important role in shaping our policies and positions on critical legislative issues.
I am thankful to Oswego County Administrator and NYSAC President Philip R. Church for offering me this opportunity to share my legislative and lived experiences with colleagues from across the Empire State. I am deeply grateful to the residents of Nassau County who made this possible in the first place by entrusting me with the privilege of serving as your Legislator.
While one could fairly say that Nassau County faces many significant challenges in the realms of mental and public health, I look at them as opportunities for growth, improvement, and chances to uplift our communities.
As the ranking member of the Legislature’s Health & Social Services committee, and someone who represents communities that rely upon Nassau University Medical Center for essential care, I am committed to ensuring its long-term viability as an essential healthcare resource for the more than 270,000 people who are treated there each year.
Already, our colleagues in Albany have spearheaded essential reforms that have brought in qualified leadership and nearly $110 million in vital funds to secure NUMC’s future. Recent reports in Newsday show that this is only the first step, and we must work collaboratively and creatively to preserve this vital regional healthcare hub – a Level 1 trauma center that provides essential burn-unit care for our first responders and serves our most vulnerable residents.
There is also a great deal of opportunity to advance our efforts to combat Nassau County’s opioid crisis. Since the time that Nassau began receiving settlement funds from the sellers, manufacturers, and distributors of these addictive drugs, the County has collected approximately $100 million intended to save lives. Consistent with a bipartisan, unanimous vote by this Legislature, those monies are placed in a dedicated fund to be used solely for purposes that advance addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives.
Since the fund’s inception in 2021, just $19.8 million, or, approximately 20 percent, has been spent while families across the County continue to confront the devastating impact of addiction and fentanyl-related deaths. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues from across the state to identify best practices that Nassau can use to accelerate the distribution of these life-saving funds to agencies on the front lines of the crisis.
There are also opportunities to identify strategies for protecting our families. As Nassau County continues to navigate the results of our recent Voluntary Severance Incentive Package (VSIP), we face significant shortfalls in the Department of Social Services, especially in the division of Child Protective Services, where the professionals tasked with protecting some of Nassau County’s most vulnerable children and families are stretched thinner than ever. Working with colleagues who have navigated similar terrain across the state, we will identify proven strategies and frameworks for addressing Nassau’s current challenges.
In the realms of mental and public health, we have a full agenda ahead of us here in Nassau County, but I know that we are up to the task of meeting the moment.
I am excited that I will have the opportunity to bring your viewpoints to the Committee at its upcoming fall seminar in Syracuse. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 516-571-6205 or onicks@nassaucountyny.gov to share your insights, concerns, and priorities.
Olena Nicks, of Uniondale, was elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2025.