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The National
Alliance for the Mentally Ill, New York State (NAMI-NYS)
has expressed disappointment that Governor Pataki never
uttered the words “mental health” in his State
of the State Address in Albany yesterday.
“It
is unusual that the Governor of New York, who has previously
shown sensitivity to mental health issues, chose not to
mention mental health in his State of the State address,
especially given the primacy of mental health needs in
the wake of the events of September 11th, and in light
of his own mental health funding proposals a year ago,
later sidetracked by the “bare bones” legislative
budget last summer,” said J. David Seay, Executive
Director. According to NAMI, 400 supported housing units
called for by the Governor two years ago still have not
been funded.
“At
a time when a deal is being made to give raises to some
health workers – in hospitals and elsewhere –
through increased cigarette taxes, money from the Empire
Blue Cross conversion, and other sources, it is embarrassing
that New York continues to exclude “mental”
from health care,” Seay continued. “We strongly
believe, as most Americans, that mental health is a part
of health care, and an important part, that should always
be included by definition. This failure to treat mental
health workers the same as the other health workers is
yet another example of the discrimination perpetuated
against those with mental illness and their families,”
he added. “Parity for mental health is needed not
just in health insurance, but in all aspects of support,
funding, and government programs,” Seay asserted.
In
addition to mental health parity, NAMI-NYS’s 2002
legislative and budget agenda calls for: supported housing
for the mentally ill, enhanced community mental health
services such as intensive case management and Assertive
Community Treatment (ACT) teams, cost-of-living adjustments
for clinic workers, a Medicaid fee hike for workers in
private programs, job training and supported employments
slots for persons with mental illness, State shared staff
positions in counties around New York, and funding for
mental health research – “our hope for the future.”
“Now,
more than ever, quality mental health services must be
made available to all New Yorkers who need them,”
Seay concluded.
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