Final Budget Approved by NYS Legislature

The Final NYS budget for FY ’15 – ’16 was approved by the legislature on April 1, 2015. It was a mixed bag for the behavioral health sector with some measured victories and many issues pushed down the road. We will continue advocacy in the post-budget session. Some of the highlights include:

• $10 Million for Medicaid Managed Care IT Transition Costs
• APG Rate Extension comporting with the new MRT timeline.
• Child Health Plus Reimbursement Aligned with APG Rates
• Value Based Payments Rejected
• Prescriber Prevails Maintained
• $50 million for Behavioral Health Vital Access Providers (VAP)
• $1.5 million for Crisis Intervention Teams & Diversion Services
• Opioid Overdose Prevention in Schools Expanded
• $74.5 million for Statewide Supportive Housing Services
• Enhanced Rates for OMH Supportive Housing Services
• MRT Affordable Housing Continued
• NY/NY III Fully Funded
• COLA Confirmed

For more information, please see our complete summary, which can be found here.

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Post-NYS Budget Advocacy

Unfortunately, our proposals to soften and mediate the impact of Medicaid managed care on providers which we distributed in the format of Article VII (budget) language, did not make it into the final. Fortunately, all, or at least most, of the language has little or no fiscal implication plus we have heard that our proposal for a revolving loan pool to address cash flow issues arising from the transition to Medicaid managed care has gained some traction in the Capitol. This means we will return to Albany in the post-budget period and advocate for our agenda through the normal legislative process.

The Coalition’s post-budget agenda emphasized, among other issues, proposals related to behavioral health’s mandated transition to Medicaid managed care. Specific agenda items include:

• DOH, OMH and OASAS should develop contract templates to explicitly delineate a broad scope of services that are available in the benefit packages offered by MMCOs.
• Contract templates should also be used to implement standardized billing, authorizations, claims procedures, documentation requirements and appeals processes.
• Do not permit pre-authorizations for access to behavioral health clinic treatment services on parity with primary care services.
• Strict NYS enforcement of APG rates for behavioral health clinic treatment services.
• NYS must stringently enforce prompt payment rules.
• The Office of Mental Health (OMH) and The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) should be given oversight and monitoring authority for MCO compliance, network adequacy and evidenced based behavioral health outcomes.
• As the very complex system of care for children, adolescents and families moves toward managed care, the State should adopt rigorous, senior, adult, child and youth-focused behavioral health metrics that monitor plan and network access and performance, ensure high quality care, and gauge short and long-term outcomes; commit to requiring Plans, networks and providers to work with State and local government to periodically and publicly issue reports on utilization, capacity and other quality and performance measures
• APG rates with an inflation adjuster should be continued until 2020, unless and until the Commissioners of the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and the Department of Health together develop and certify an alternative value-based payment methodology that is actuarially sound and will provide reimbursement to providers at rates that are at least comparable to current Medicaid rates (APGs).

Non-Medicaid Managed Care Agenda

• Extend the unlicensed practice exemption through 2020
• Enact legislation to “Raise the Age” of criminal responsibility in a comprehensive manner -- We support the Governor’s recommendations regarding raising the age of criminal responsibility to age 18 and we want to ensure that appropriate behavioral health services are provided.
• Create 30,000 Units of NY/NY IV Supportive Housing over the Next 10 Years
• Enact S.3229 (Golden)/A.828 (Cymbrowitz).

Provides for the reinvestment of funds generated by savings due to declines in the State prison census into community-based services for persons suffering from chemical dependence and for the establishment of the chemical dependence reinvestment fund. We strongly support this proposal.

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Baselined Mental Health Initiatives Raise Concerns for Consumers and Agencies

After providing 10-years of ground-breaking mental health services to very young children, seniors and other needy populations, 3 New York City Council-funded initiatives are slated to end on June 30.

The initiatives were baselined at the close of Mayor Bloomberg’s term and adopted as allocated by the Council for one year by the DeBlasio Administration. Now, that the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has control of the funds, it is moving forward with very different models and is diverting some of these monies to other unrelated program purposes.

According to DOHMH, an RFP for this funding will be released in the late Spring. The results of the RFP will be available in the Fall which, unfortunately, will not coincide with the City’s budget timeline, so there will be an unfunded gap between the end of the fiscal year and start date of the new grant. Programs, staff and consumers will be at risk. Which programs survive the downsizing is unpredictable. Coalition is pursuing with the Division of Mental Hygiene the possibilities for bridge funding in the interim.

Here are some specifics on the initiatives and what the DOHMH is proposing:

• Children Under Five Mental Health Initiative – FY’15 Funding $1.25M
• Enables 8 diverse agencies in all five boroughs to provide critical mental health services to children aged five and younger.
• Identifies and treats children who have or are at risk for social and behavioral difficulties.
• DOHMH proposes to cut the number of provider agencies to 6 (with only 5 agencies providing direct services) and vastly limit the innovative programming developed by the current providers.

• Geriatric Mental Health Initiative (GMHI) – FY’15 Funding $2M
• GMHI supports 25 diverse community-based organizations in all five boroughs to provide a wide range of programs and services to scores of older New Yorkers with mental illness.
• GMHI providers reach seniors in non-traditional settings, such as senior centers, drop-in centers, homeless shelters and for homebound elders, in their homes.
• The DOHMH proposal would eliminate funding to all but 8 providers and the geographic scope is too broad for most of the current providers, with years of expertise, to participate.

• Mental Health Contracts – FY’ 15 Funding $450K
• This funding is directed to 7 distinct agencies in all five boroughs, including The Coalition’s Professional Learning Center.
• Mental Health Contracts provides diverse but essential behavioral health services in a variety of delivery models.
• Examples include a transitional living community for homeless women with psychiatric disabilities and a forensic mental health program.

The Coalition is working with the NYC Council Members, including Council Member Andrew Cohen, chair of the Council’s Committee on Mental Health and Council Member Debi Rose (sponsor of the funding initiative which provides Mental Health Services for Court-Involved Youth and their Families) to enable these much-needed programs to continue.

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Expansion Advocated After First Year of Juvenile Justice Initiative Mental Health Initiative

After the groundbreaking work in the first year of the NYC Council funding initiative providing “Mental Health Services for Court-Involved Youth and their Families,” Council Member Debi Rose, its original sponsor, is advocating for a funding increase to $5 million.

With advocacy from The Coalition, last year the Council allocated $1 million to target the behavioral health needs of court-involved youth. The funding went to nine providers: Astor Services for Children & Families, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn & Queens, CASES, The Children’s Aid Society, The Fortune Society, Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA), Safe Horizon, SCO Family of Services, and Staten Island Mental Health Society. The Coalition also received funding under this grant to provide training on issue related to working with a forensic population.

If Council Member Rose, with The Coalition’s assistance, is successful in expanding the funding, we may be able to add more providers to the initiative and reach even more young people.

Please let us know if your agency is interested in joining the advocacy effort to preserve and expand this initiative, please contact Jamin R. Sewell at [email protected].

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The Coalition Welcomes New Members

Since our last issue of Briefs several new agencies became members of The Coalition family.

New Members

Operating on Long Island since 1982, Options for Community Living provides housing, support services, and care coordination for people recovering from mental illness and those living with HIV/AIDS or other chronic health conditions. Options goal is to help each program participant and family find stability, improved health and the tools to build productive self-sufficient lives as community members.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center) offers health and wellness programs for youth and adults; arts, entertainment and cultural events; and parenthood and family support services to the LGBT community in New York City.

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The Coalition Urges Assembly Speaker Heastie to Support NY/NY IV Proposal

In a letter dated, February 25, 2015, The Coalition strongly urged new Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to support the Campaign 4 NY/NY proposal to build 30,000 units of supportive housing over the next 10 years. The Campaign 4 NY/NY includes The Coalition, the Supportive Housing Network of New York, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, Homeless Services United and many other advocates for supportive housing.

Although the 30,000 units did not end up in the Assembly’s “one-house” budget bills, its prime sponsor, Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi told Briefs that the momentum is building and he expects to make more progress in next year’s budget.

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Around the Water Cooler

ACMH'S Garden House Respite. ACMH’s Garden House Respite is now accepting referrals. The Garden House Respite is a temporary get away for people with a psychiatric diagnosis who are experiencing a crisis. Staffed by trained peer counselors with lived experience of the mental health system, Garden House Respite offers coping strategies and support in a home-like environment. Following hospitalization, Garden House Respite can serve as a step-down between hospital and home or as a place to stay while permanent housing is readied. Respite stay can be from 1-14 days. There is no charge for this service. For more information or to make a referral, contact Kearyann Austin at [email protected], or (212) 253-6377 x 406.

On April 14, 2015, ASCNYC held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Midtown Central facility. The event was attended by Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, Borough of Manhattan President Gale Brewer, Council Member Ben Kallos as well as numerous colleagues and consumers.

BronxWork's The Brook. The Brook, supportive housing run by BronxWorks, was highlighted in an article in the NY Times.

The Fostering Youth Success Alliance led by The Children's Aid Society, other Coalition members, Children's Village, Episcopal Social Services, Family Services of Westchester, Good Shepherd Services, Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, Jewish Child Care Association, New Alternatives for Children, SCO Family of Services and a total 75 community-based organizations statewide, were successful in securing $1.5 million to develop a comprehensive support system for college-age foster youth.

Donna Colona, President & CEO of SUS (and past Coalition President) and Tino Hernandez, President & CEO of Samaritan Village (and current Coalition President) were both appointed by Governor Cuomo to the New York State Health Innovation Plan’s (the Plan) Council. The Council will oversee the implementation of the Plan, which was awarded a $99.9 million grant by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.

On March 20, 2015, State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda and Comunilife’s Life is Precious Program™ (LIP) hosted an expert panel and guidance counselor roundtable to raise awareness of the suicide epidemic for Latina teens, highlight early intervention measures, assess current state response and promote community-based, culturally sensitive solutions.

Joel Copperman, CASES, Mitchell Netburn, Project Renewal, Joanne M. Oplustil, CAMBA, Marla Simpson, Brooklyn Community Services and Michael Zisser, University Settlement were invited by the Human Services Council to serve on a Commission to examine agency closings.

The Fortune Society has recently received a total of $190,000 in grants, including $95,000 in grants to support its HIV/AIDS services that include transitional planning, coordination of care, post-release management and connections to medical; Fortune also received a total of $60,000 in grants to support its Better Living Center (BLC), a licensed mental health clinic that offers holistic, intensive, and personalized care to address the unique and complex mental health needs of individuals with criminal histories—funding from these grants will specifically focus on youth ages 18-24; additionally, Fortune received a $36,843 grant from the West Harlem Development Corporation to support its Inter-Generational Multi-Media Class.

The Fortune Society is also holding a Spring Arts Series and an Arts Festival. The Spring Arts Festival is at Castle Gardens service center in West Harlem you can experience the theatrically-talented Fortune Tellers; The Fortune Film Festival, which includes an original film made by Fortune clients; and a highly renowned signature play – The Castle – featuring the lives of former Fortune clients. The Series runs through Sunday 6/14. The Fortune Arts Festival is a week-long annual celebration held at both the Long Island City and West Harlem locations which will showcase Fortune’s brightest stars. Fortune staff and clients will be presenting their many talents from Monday 4/27 through Thursday 4/30. The Festival will feature the best of our Visual Arts, Theater, Music, Digital Media, and Spoken Word programs. Please contact John Runowicz at 347-510-3435/ [email protected] for more information about either event.

On March 20, 2015, the First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray visited Fountain House as part of her “roadmap for a more inclusive Health System in NYC.”

SPOP/Service Program for Older People has a few openings in Bereavement Support Groups starting this month. The program is offered entirely free of charge and groups meet on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Each group is facilitated by trained volunteer facilitators, with supervision by a clinical social worker. Groups meet for ten weeks and are generally comprised of 6-10 participants. This program has no religious affiliation and is open to adults of all ages and backgrounds. To learn more please visit www.spop.org or call 212-787-7120 ext. 514

On March 20, 2015, SUS broke ground on The Henry Apartments, the new construction of two multi-story buildings along Broadway. When complete, the two buildings will provide 134 affordable apartments for individuals with mental health challenges and for community members.

On February 3, 2015 Council Member Paul A. Vallone, District 19 and on February 20, 2015 Assemblyman Edward C. Braunstein, District 26 toured Coalition Member TSINY (Transitional Services for New York). TSINY also opened a new Empowerment Center that provides a range of individual and group peer services designed to engage individuals. The Center's services assist individuals expand their capacity to manage their own health, wellness and recovery. For more information contact Marguerite Gayle, Director at 718-526-8400 ext. 123 or email [email protected].

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Coalition Job Board

Coalition Members advertise staff positions for free on The Coalition’s Job Board!  Here's a sample: