On February 26, 2019, NYAPRS held its 22nd Annual Legislative Day at our states capital in Albany, NY. It was a busy day that included many featured speakers including Senator David Carlucci, Chair, Senate Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Chair, Assembly Mental Health Committee, Senator Luis Sepulveda, Chair, NYS Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee, Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, NYS Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore, Dr. Ann Sullivan, Commissioner, NYS Office of Mental Health, Stephanie Campbell, NYS Ombudsman Project Director, OASAS as well as NYAPRS Executive Director, Harvey Rosenthal, NYAPRS Co-Presidents Jeff McQueen and Peter Trout, and Public Policy Committee Chair Carla Rabinowitz.
This year’s legislative day focused on 10 key public policy priorities to discuss with legislators including:
- Face the Mental Health Housing Crisis! Fund OMH Housing Rate Increases
- Approve a 2.9% Cost of Living Adjustment for Human Service Nonprofits
- Support Criminal Justice Reforms
- HALT the Torture of Solitary Confinement
- Bring Crisis Intervention Teams to More Localities
- Restart Medicaid 30 Days Before Prison & Jail Release
- Increase Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment
- Extend Intensive Voluntary Outreach Initiative; Oppose Expansion and Permanence of Kendra’s Law
- Reinvest in Local Community Mental Health Services
- Restore Prescriber Prevails Protections
- Thank State Policymakers for the Enactment of Legislation Prohibiting Gender Conversion Therapy
- Make New York a Trauma Informed State
- Oppose Changes To The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
Members of the Long Island Vet2Vet program also visited with legislators on this day to advocate for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer to Peer program asking for it to be restored to the state budget. This program can be found is in almost half of New York counties, including Nassau and Suffolk, and aims to help veterans with PTSD and depression, among other mental health challenges.
The links below will take you to more articles and photos from the exciting day in Albany. Thank you to everyone who took part in the day!
Mental Health Providers Rally at Capitol
Senators Gather to Call for Veteran Aid Program to be Restored to New York Budget
Advocates Rally for Mental Health Care Reform
