A recent study by the state Comptroller's Office showed almost a quarter of New York adults struggle with mental health. That is often coupled with issues dealing with addiction.

But there is help. One group doesn't wait for those struggling to come to them for assistance.

It’s been a long road for Kari Olsen, through her battle with addiction and mental health struggles.

She says she was one of those that slipped through the cracks. She knows not everyone makes it through it, and wears the necklace and shoes of a friend she recently lost. But she does it to keep her memory in her heart, while carrying on her own journey.

What You Need To Know

  • Samadhi Recovery Community Outreach Center recently debuted its new mobile mental health and substance abuse unit

  • The van is complete with a telehealth screen, Narcan, fentanyl test kits and more 

  • The goal is to connect with folks who may not be actively seeking outpatient care, to build trust and get them help 

“My addiction came because of my mental health," Olsen said. "I was masking all of my trauma and all my pain and...I just didn't want to feel anymore. And that's why I ended up using the way that I used, and how frequently I use. Because I was numbing.”

She’s managed to find help through the Samadhi Recovery Community Outreach Center and utilized its new mobile unit – a van designed to meet people where they are. It's complete with a telehealth screen, fentanyl test kits, Narcan and more.

The van's crew looks to connect people in the community with outpatient care. They hope that through building relationships with those dealing with substance abuse, they can develop trust with them and get them help. The therapuetic qualities of the van has been a major help for Olsen's recovery.

“That means something to me, to be able to feel the breeze and to be able to feel the sun," she said. 

The mobile method of delivering substance abuse and mental health treatment is one not yet widely used. Samadhi social workers say they spoke with similar units in Kentucky and Estonia, but it’s a strategy they say is effective at bridging the gap between getting people to commit to treatment and going to outpatient care.

Olsen says if it’s helped her, it can help anyone struggling.

“While I have my session, because it's more of a meditative thing, it takes the pressure and it takes the clinical aspect out of it," she said. "You're literally just having a conversation with somebody.”