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By
J. David Seay, J.D.
Executive Director
Things
have been happening rapid-fire in Albany this year. Governor
Pataki's Executive Budget was released on January 20th,
our semi-annual Board of Directors and Affiliate Presidents'
Dinner was held on February 2nd, our annual Legislative
Breakfast and Conference was conducted on February 3rd,
and we delivered our budget testimony on February 4th.
In addition, the Government Affairs Committee, co-chaired
by Muriel Shepherd and Ione Christian, has been meeting
weekly with members of the Legislature to press the NAMI-NYS
2004 Legislative and Budget Agenda for Action.
Following
are the highlights of our Agenda for Action. Like last
year, our theme this year is "Fight for Care"
for New Yorkers with mental illness. Five top priorities
were established by the Board of Directors upon recommendation
of the Government Affairs Committee. In addition, a listing
of "other major concerns" is included. Please
talk to your state legislators and help us to move this
agenda forward.
Fight for housing
Ask your legislator to increase the budget for housing
for New Yorkers with mental illness. Thousands have been
dumped out of the state system into adult homes, jails,
prisons, homeless shelters and nursing homes while others
live at home with aging parents terrified of what will
happen when they can no longer care for them.
Estimates show that 40- 70,000 more housing units are
needed. NAMI-NYS calls for a waiting list bill (A.8622,
which passed unanimously in the Assembly on March 10th
and is in search of a Senate sponsor), commitment to 4,000
new units a year and a long-term plan for housing and
related services.
Fight for Timothy’s Law
Demand that comprehensive mental health parity legislation
be enacted in New York. Pass "Timothy's Law,"
the bill named for 12-year-old Timothy O'Clair from Schenectady,
who tragically completed suicide three years ago after
his family's mental health benefits ran out. His courageous
parents have come forward to tell their story, convinced
that Timothy would be alive and getting the treatment
he needed had New York's laws prohibited discrimination
against persons with mental illness. (See article on page
1)
Thank your Assemblyman for passing A.8301 and urge your
Senator to ask Majority Leader Bruno to let the same bill
– S.5329 — go to the floor for a vote.
Fight
to “boot the SHU”
NAMI-NYS calls for passage of Assembly Bill 8849 to ban
the use of prison "special housing units" (SHUs)
— the punitive 23-hour lockdowns also known as "the
box" — for persons with mental illness. (See
article on page 15.) It is time to end this barbaric practice.
Ask your Senator to sponsor and support a Senate version
of A8849.
Fight
for access to medications
Restrictions to access for psychiatric medications under
the Medicaid program must not be allowed. "Preferred
drugs lists" (PDL), formularies, prior authorizations
and other mechanisms designed to save money by blocking
or slowing access are unacceptable. NAMI-NYS joins Assemblyman
Rivera's opposition to any PDL.
Fight
for research
Demand that the Legislature stop efforts to slowly starve
the research budget through staff cuts and attrition.
Thirty research positions are to be cut in this year's
Executive Budget, adding to 27 that were cut last year.
Keep the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research
in Rockland County and the Psychiatric Institute for Research
in Manhattan whole and intact. Research is our hope for
the future.
Other Major Concerns
Adult homes: NAMI-NYS applauds the Governor's budgeting
$8 million to carry out the state Adult Home Workgroup’s
reform initiatives and $2 million in other funding to
improve the quality of life of adult home residents.
At
the same time, NAMI-NYS is fighting for for new housing
to be earmarked for many of the people who do not belong
in adult homes in the first place (see article on page
12), and for more rigorous enforcement of regulations
aimed at adult home operators.
Last year, the Legislature took $6 million of the $8 million
allocated for the Adult Home Workgroup’s reform
initiatives (assessment, medication management, case management,
etc.) and gave it to the adult home operators through
the Quality Incentive Improvement Program (QUIP), a program
with a spotty track record.
Please
tell your legislators if they want to help the adult home
operators through QUIP this year, they should find funding
for it elsewhere, and not take the funding meant for the
workgroup’s reform initiatives. Also, in order to
bring some accountability to QUIP, an oversight committee
should be created, including family and consumer representatives.
With the help of the Commission on the Quality of Care
for the Mentally Disabled, this committee should monitor
how QUIP money is being spent.
Medicaid:
The Medicaid budget must not be balanced
on the backs of poor, sick and disabled New Yorkers. The
Executive Budget would restrict access to medications
by a Preferred Drug List and would eliminate coverage
for dental, nursing, podiatry and psychological services.
NAMI-NYS fights this type of Medicaid reform.
Community
Safety Net Programs: NAMI-NYS opposes $7.7
million in cuts that have been proposed by the Executive
Budget for non-Medicaidable community services, such as
small local club houses, drop-in centers, vocational programs,
and transportation, advocacy and administrative services.
NAMI-NYS urges the legislature to fight to keep these
services viable. Demand that these cuts be restored!
Psychiatric
Center Closures: NAMI-NYS is cautious about
the Governor’s proposal for a Bipartisan Blue Ribbon
Commission to make recommendations about the state psychiatric
center system. NAMI-NYS has fought for a non-partisan
long-term planning process for some time. However, the
commission should not be focused solely on psychiatric
center closures, as it is now described.
Presumptive
Medicaid Eligibility: Persons with mental illness
discharged from jails, prisons, and hospitals need access
to medications to transition safely into the community.
A 45-day gap exists between discharge and re-establishment
of Medicaid eligibility. NAMI-NYS fights to close this
gap.
ACT:
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based
practice proven to work, keeping persons with serious
mental illness in their communities for treatment. These
teams must be both fully funded and fully staffed.
Employment:
About 85 percent of persons with mental illness do not
hold jobs. With training and supported employment, many
more can work and be productive members of society.
NAMI-NYS fights for 1,500 new supported employment slots
in this year's budget, at an additional cost of $3.4 million.
The Governor's Budget was a mixture of good news and not-so-good
news. But given the reality of a multi-billion budget
deficit, about $6 billion this year, NAMI-NYS and a good
number of other mental health advocates were relieved
that the mental health budget was mostly spared from significant
reductions. We at NAMI-NYS acknowledge and thank newly-confirmed
OMH Commissioner Dr. Sharon Carpinello, her staff, Division
of Budget staff and the Governor's staff for doing what
they could to help preserve badly needed mental health
services. Yet everyone must be reminded that the unmet
needs across the state of persons with serious mental
illness and their families are huge. As the economy continues
to improve, one would hope that the State of New York
can and will redouble its efforts to meet the basic humanitarian
needs of its most sick and vulnerable citizens.
NAMI-NYS
presented detailed testimony on the proposed Executive
Budget on February 4th, and copies are available from
our office and at the website www.naminys.org.
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