Phoenix House of New York & Long Island launched a mobile wellness outreach van in Brooklyn on Sept. 23, bringing recovery support, substance use education, Narcan training, harm reduction and community outreach directly to neighborhoods affected by the overdose crisis.
The Neighborhood Outreach Wellness van was introduced during a ribbon-cutting ceremony outside Barclays Center as part of National Recovery Month. The initiative is supported by New York City's $12 million investment in peer-led substance use recovery services, funded through opioid settlement dollars.
The city announced the investment in May as part of a broader effort involving seven community organizations.
“With this van, Brooklynites can finally access recovery support on their own blocks, without having to travel or wait for services to come to them. Our team knows these neighborhoods and we know that trust is built person by person, block by block. That's the work we do every day, and now we can bring it straight to people's doorsteps,” said Shaun Willis, director of recovery services and outreach at Phoenix House Brooklyn Recovery Community Center.
Phoenix House plans to use its funding to expand peer workforce development, including training and certification for recovery peers, while operating the mobile unit as an extension of its Brooklyn Community Recovery Center.
City documents say the Phoenix House program will use the van for outreach, overdose prevention, recovery coaching and referrals to wellness services.
The van will serve neighborhoods including East New York, Brownsville, Flatbush, Williamsburg and Bushwick. The approach is designed to reduce barriers to treatment by bringing services into communities rather than requiring residents to travel to a traditional recovery center.
The initiative comes as Brooklyn and other parts of New York City continue to address disparities in overdose deaths. City data show 2,192 overdose deaths across New York City in 2024, down from 3,056 in 2023.
The city also reports that overdose rates remain highest among Black and Latino New Yorkers, residents of high-poverty neighborhoods and adults ages 55 to 64.
Phoenix House, which was founded in 1967, operates the Brooklyn Community Recovery Center, a peer-driven recovery center offering free services and referrals for adults seeking recovery.
The NOW van will make stops throughout Brooklyn. Residents can find information about its schedule, locations and available services through Phoenix House.
