Policy & Advocacy

Policy & Advocacy

The "bread and butter" of The Coalition is analysis and advocacy of public policy in the fields of community mental health and chemical dependence.

We evaluate state, city and federal budgets, regulations and proposed legislation; promote laws and policies that nourish and sustain community based providers, affording them the ability to deliver the highest quality care and service to residents of New York City and State.

The Coalition strives to make important contributions to the public policy debate that will improve access and delivery of care and end stigma and prejudice against people with mental illness and chemical dependencies.

Support Four-Year Exemption for State Agency Social Worker Workforce

Sign a petition now to support the extension!

Time is running out! The current exemption is about to expire June 1. We are moving toward an emergency situation for consumers and caregivers—loss of care and loss of jobs in every community of the State. Albany must act now to protect New York's social workers and prevent severe service delivery disruptions throughout New York.

Coalition Wields 2 Days of Determined Advocacy in Albany - February 2010

The Coalition coordinated a strong membership presence in Albany on February 23 & 24, covering approximately 50 meetings with State Legislators, key committee staff and Agency officials at OMH and OASAS.

Our advocacy focused on mitigating the impending crisis of care in community-based clinics, reauthorization of State agency exemption from the social worker and other mental health professionals license requirements for four years, defining and limiting the powers of the Office of Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG), promoting the behavioral health service infrastructure by funding a pass-through for supportive housing services and supplemental IT investments, as well as a set of revenue enhancement proposals to offset service cuts. Coalition members were particularly forceful in arguing against proposed OTDA cuts to services in supportive housing. The Coalition’s briefing materials from advocacy day are available on our website.

The Coalition Brings its Advocacy to Washington, DC - June 2009

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.

Coalition Receives NCCBH 2008 Grassroots Advocacy Award

The Coalition received the 2008 Grassroots Advocacy Award from the National Council of Behavioral Healthcare at its 38th annual conference in Boston on May 2, 2008, for its work on Article 31 clinic rate methodology reform.

Reform and Restructuring of Article 31 Clinic Reimbursement Methodology