David Robinson reports at the Record Online that last year opioid overdose deaths declined in New York, outside of New York City, last year. In 2018 there were 1,824 deaths compared to 2,170 in 2017, according to the state Health Department. That's almost a 16 percent decrease. Gov. Andrew Cuomo credited expanded addiction treatment services for the turnaround. Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said the decline was due, in part, to the state Heroin and Opioid Task Force, which Cuomo started in 2016. “Through the implementation of innovative programs, we have increased access to treatment; improved support for those in recovery; expanded awareness of heroin and opioid addiction; and enhanced statewide prevention efforts,” González-Sánchez said. Hospitalizations for opioid-related overdoses decreased seven percent, from 3,260 in 2017 to 3,029 in 2018. Early statistics show the trend is nationwide, with drug overdose deaths across the country declining to 68,000 in 2018. Recently, New York has expanded access to treatment beds, added recovery centers, and updated medication-assisted treatment regulations. Read more about this story at the Record Online.