ABOUT LESC

SUPPORTING ADDICTION TREATMENT SINCE 1959

The Lower Eastside Service Center is a non-profit organization providing a complete range of treatments for opioids and other substance use disorders for New Yorkers living with addiction. Our programs use proven, clinically-researched methods to help our clients lead healthier, happier and more productive lives.

WHAT we stand for

Our Mission is to meet the special and changing needs of New Yorkers experiencing critical life problems with substance use disorder, mental illness and associated homelessness, with a person-centered, strengths-based and trauma responsive approach to care.  Using a wide-ranging network of health and human services, we support their well-being and empower them to make healthy life choices.

Our Vision is to help New Yorkers at risk to fully benefit from the social and economic life in their communities. We aspire to provide unsurpassed integrated, person-centered and trauma responsive behavioral health and social services to transform lives, especially those impacted by substance use disorder, mental illness and homelessness. It is our dream to serve with the passion and professionalism that generates enduring outcomes, rewarding recovery and lasting hope.

Our Core Values guide our work and performance as we deliver on our LESC Mission.

  • We are committed to ensuring recovery and wellbeing.
  • We harness the power of resilience.
  • We respect every person we serve.
  • We recognize health disparity and trauma in the community we serve.
  • We believe each person to be inherently good.

Our Promise is to serve all patients, offer discounted fees for patients who qualify and to not deny services based on a person's race, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or ability to pay.

Evidence-Based Practices

The use of Evidence-Based Practices helps our providers to make better decisions about how to apply the most appropriate scientific practices when considering our client’s needs and circumstances. 

The goal of Evidence-Based Practices is to deliver services that reflect the values, needs and choices of our clients by integrating areas of clinical expertise and scientific evidence as well as client and caregiver perspectives.

Comprehensive Approach

treatment icon

Opioid Treatment

Integrated treatment programs with the right mix of environment, medication and support to bring addiction into the light of recovery. 

training icon

Vocational Training

Customized vocational counseling and training to enable our clients to engage with work as self-sufficient members of the community.

housing icon

Supportive Housing

Permanent housing for limited income and formerly homeless New Yorkers living with substance use disorders.

decades OF EXPERTISE

Treatment protocols have evolved over the years. What has remained constant is the commitment of medical, clinical and staff professionals to use the most progressive and effective treatments available to treat the whole person, not just the addiction.

60+

Years of
Experience

2M+

Client Visits
To Date

290K

Client Services
Per Year

240+

Recovery
Specialists

Leadership

Every organization relies on the dedication of accomplished, experienced people to lead the way forward. Ours is no different. We are blessed with a diverse team of professionals helping LESC operate effectively and efficiently today and plan for how we can best fulfill our mission to our communities as the future unfolds. 

LESC senior management and leaders understand that programs must adapt to the changing needs of our clients. Our LESC Board of Trustees draws from many years of experience in not-for-profit, government and business to help us steer the organization so we may remain a beacon of hope for those suffering from opioid addiction.

More About Our Leadership

TRANSFORMING CARE THROUGH INTEGRATION & INNOVATION

LESC is the proud leader of New York’s Cogency IPA.

Find Out More

LESC ACCREDITATION

The Lower Eastside Service Center has demonstrated that it meets international, national and local standards for quality and is committed to pursuing excellence.

Logos for CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), United States Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationLogos for New York State Department of Health, Department of Health, Office of Addiction Services and Supports and Office of Mental HealthLogos for New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

LOCAL

Recent News & Events

ouR History

First LESC sign

Pioneering NYC Opioid Treatment

From a church on the Lower East Side with no background in social work or any formal substance use disorder training, our organization became the first of its kind to begin helping people. Today, we're one of NYC's most trusted institutions for opioid dependency treatment.

More About Our History

Download Our 990 Form