June 16 , 2009

The Coalition Brings its Advocacy to Washington, DC

Coalition leaders and staff went to Washington D.C. last week to advocate on key issues facing the behavioral health sector. The Coalition was represented by President, Jonas Waizer (F.E.G.S.), Constance Brown (ICL), Peter Campanelli (ICL), Carmen Collado (JBFCS), Sandra Hagan (Child Center of NY), Dr. Kenneth Popler (Staten Island Mental Health Society), Dr. Jeanie Tse (ICL) and Fern Zagor (Staten Island Mental Health Society). We combined our efforts with members from around the country of the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare during their Fifth Annual Hill Day.

The Coalition met with officials from the Mayor and Governor’s offices in DC, Representative Towns, Engel and Clarke and their staff, and staff from the following members of Congress: Senators Gillibrand and Schumer, and Representatives Crowley, Rangel, and Serrano, all of whom play key roles in the 111th Congress. We urged the NY Congressional delegation to include mental health and addiction services in the national healthcare reform agenda. The Coalition delegation articulated arguments for a minimum benefit package that requires mental health and addiction services as mandatory components within a broader package of medical and health benefits. The Coalition also pressed for including community mental health and addiction services providers in federal Health Information and Technology (HIT) funding opportunities. In addition, we urged the delegation to restore NYS’s appropriation of SAMHSA’s Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and increases for New York State in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.  Read all of the Coalition’s fact sheets and advocacy points.

Senate Leadership Debacle and The Coalition’s Legislative Agenda

At this time in the State’s legislative season, The Coalition is working to move our legislative priorities forward before the current session draws to a close. The legislative session is scheduled to end on June 22nd, however leadership in the Senate has been thrown into turmoil. Last week, two Democrats, Pedro Espada, Jr. of the Bronx, and Hirram Monserrate of Queens, joined with the Republicans to grab leadership from the Democratic majority and Malcolm Smith of Queens. In spite of uncertainty in the Senate, The Coalition remains focused on achieving its legislative goals:

Timothy’s Law

The Assembly, which continues in session, passed legislation to make Timothy’s Law permanent! Bill S.5672/A.8611 eliminates the expiration and repeal of Timothy’s Law, which is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2009. Timothy’s Law requires group health insurance policies to offer parity in benefits for consumers who seek treatment for mental health conditions. The bill now awaits a vote in the Senate. Passage in the Senate and signature by the Governor would fulfill the work started by the Executive Committee of Timothy’s Law (TLC), which The Coalition will be honoring at our 25th annual Leadership Awards Reception on June 25th, 2009. The Coalition has also written a memo in support of A.8611/S.5672, which was distributed to the entire membership in the Assembly and Senate. We wish to thank Governor Paterson for introducing this bill, and Speaker Silver and Assemblyman Morelle for their leadership in the Assembly on this signal legislative matter.

Social Worker and Mental Health Licensing Law

With the Assembly still in business, and Governor Paterson’s proposal to continue the legislative session beyond June 22nd, we are persistently advocating for legislation to extend the exemption from the current licensing law until July 1, 2011 for social workers and other mental health practitioners who are employed by programs under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Mental Hygiene and Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). This would add an additional year to the proposal that was passed during the Enacted 2010 Budget. The Coalition has been participating in meetings with the Office of Professionals at the State Education Department (SED) to include this provision in the draft bill that SED sent to the legislature, as well language to create a process for entities that employ these professionals to register with SED, and to allow work experience in these organizations to qualify for licensure. Currently, a bill that reflects the SED draft has been introduced in the Assembly by Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow, A. 8897. We are urging legislative leaders to push this bill through the proper channels for passage, and have circulated a memo of support for A.8897. The Coalition will keep you updated on events that transpire regarding professional licensing law in both houses as well as other events that take place in the Senate.

Read the entire June 16, 2009 issue of Briefs »