2020
ARLENE
GONZÁLEZSÁNCHEZ
COMMISSIONER
NYS OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS
Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez, MS, LMSW, was appointed Commissioner of the
New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) by Governor Andrew
Cuomo.
Commissioner González-Sánchez has had more than 30 years of experience in the fields of
behavioral health services administration, health policy development, and medical research.
She has served on the Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team Behavioral Health Subcommittee.
She has been co-chair of the State’s Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council and a cochair
of the Responsible Play Partnership.
Commissioner González-Sánchez has been instrumental in the establishment of numerous
programs such as a first-of-its-kind adolescent substance use disorder clubhouses and
recovery centers in various counties across the state such as The LGBT Community Center��in
New York City, The Pillars Recovery Center in Harlem, and the Native American Community.
She expanded specialized outreach by launching the educational program “Nueva Esperanza,
Nueva Vida con OASAS”. This programming was the preface for the “New Hope, New Life
with OASAS” television broadcast which was developed for a broader audience to inform and
educate New Yorkers about addiction prevention, and recovery services.
On a national level, Commissioner González-Sánchez has served as the First Vice President
of the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) Board.
Commissioner González-Sánchez graduated with a Master of Social Work degree in
Administration and Community Organization from the Hunter College School of Social Work,
and a Master’s of Science degree in Cell Biology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology;
both from Fordham University. She has been a Licensed Master Social Worker.
POWER WOMEN BRONX