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An Evolving Semi-Monthly Update on Community Behavioral Health in New York
May 20, 2013
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IN THIS EDITION
Coalition Leadership Awards Event Set for June 27th
Coalition City Budget Advocacy Continues With Mayor Bloomberg releasing the City’s FY14 Executive Budget on May 2, 2013, The Coalition maintains our advocacy efforts to restore and enhance the behavioral health initiatives sponsored by the City Council each year. It is through the City Council’s Mental Health Contracts initiative that The Coalition’s Professional Learning Center brings unique learning opportunities, technical assistance and training to the City’s community-based behavioral health agencies, helping them survive in an uncertain world filled with mandated reforms. We are also advocating for the Children Under Five Mental Health Initiative which delivers specialized services to a cohort of children exhibiting behavioral difficulties because they have experienced or been exposed to traumas like domestic violence and abuse; Geriatric Mental Health Initiative which allows seniors struggling with depression, anxiety, isolation or bereavement to receive help in community settings like senior centers, social groups, primary healthcare sites and in their own homes. In addition, through support from the City Council, the Mental Hygiene Contracted Services PEG funds agencies that help people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders recover by linking them to appropriate supports and treatment in the community. The FY14 City Budget is scheduled to be passed by June 30, 2013. Governor Cuomo Announces $91M Affordable Housing Initiative On May 7, 3013, Governor Cuomo announced $91 million in awards to build 2,060 units of affordable housing across OMH Wraps Up Listening Tour on Centers for Excellence Kristen Woodlock, Acting Commissioner of the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) just finished her statewide listening tour to gather feedback for a strategic business plan to consolidate and reconfigure OMH’s inpatient Psychiatric Centers, transforming a portion into outpatient services. The Coalition attended the forum held in New York City on May 3, 2013, and submitted comments. We view this as a significant opportunity for enhanced care while saving state resources. At the same time, we want to make sure that the services offered in the new Regional Centers of Excellence are not duplicative or competitive with the community-based system. We suggested “gap filling” ideas like the provision of intensive crisis services, temporary residences for step-down and diversionary services, respite services for families, enhancing mental health care in prisons, as well as a number of programs that would develop linkages from inpatient care to community. Recommendations are due to be out next week. Stay tuned for more details. NYC Jails to Pursue Treatment Approaches for Inmates with Mental Illness The New York Times reports that beginning in July, New York City will implement treatment oriented approaches for people with mental illness in jail rather than enforcing disciplinary repercussions when they break the rules. According to the article, more than one third of people in City jails have a mental illness, and about a third of them have serious mental illnesses like major depression and schizophrenia. Inmates with mental illness are more likely not to adhere to rules in jail, multiple times a day, resulting in solitary confinement. Under the new approach, when inmates with serious mental illness break rules, they will be transferred to an internal clinic for treatment and medicine. Those with less serious mental illness will be assigned to counseling programs. DOHMH Reports Dramatic Increase in Prescription Pain Killer Overdoses
Coalition Welcomes Qualifacts as New Affiliate Member The Coalition is proud to announce that Qualifacts has joined us as an Affiliate Member. Qualifacts builds and implements web-based Electronic Health Records for behavioral health agencies. Founded in 2000, Qualifacts is the largest provider of Software-as-a-Service and web-based Electronic Health Records for the behavioral health and human services market. Its team helps over 20,000 behavioral healthcare providers and staff realize improved billing and clinical operations, increased agency revenue, faster payment and better client and staff satisfaction. In 2012, Qualifacts was named one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Upcoming Trainings at The Center Working with People Coming out of Nursing, Adult Homes and other Institutional Settings New York State has embarked on a new round of deinstitutionalization, bringing people back from nursing and adult homes, and other institutional settings. For the first time, many people are hearing that they need to focus on recovery, to have goals, and to live more independently. It is up to the mental health programs to work with these consumers to foster a belief that this is possible, but how? Facilitator: Amanda Saake, LMSW Preparing PROS for Managed Care and Health Homes Facilitator: Naomi Weinstein, MPH
The Institute for Community Living (ICL) has appointed David Woodlock as its new President Glenda G. Smith has been named Executive Director of Bridging Access to Care (BAC), formerly known as Brooklyn AIDS Task Force. Smith began her career at the agency in 1989, where she has held Dr. Rosa Gil was honored by the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at the NYU Silver School of Social Work. The award was in recognition of her life’s work to address the needs of New Yorkers living in poverty. Dr. Gil is the President and CEO of Comunilife, a health and human service agency, whose mission is to improve the quality of life and create a healthier tomorrow for New Yorkers with special needs in the Hispanic and broader communities – by providing culturally competent health and human services and a continuum of affordable and supportive housing. The Mental Health Association (MHA) of Westchester has been selected as one of four sites across New York State for OnTrackNY My Health, My Choices, My Future, an innovative treatment program for adolescents and young adults between the ages of 16-30 who are within one year of experiencing symptoms of non-affective psychosis. The program is based upon the principles of shared decision making, recovery orientation, a person centered approach, flexibility and accessibility. Astor Services for Children & Families celebrated the opening of its new Children's Mental Health Clinic in Ellenville, NY, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday. Guests included Ulster County Executive, Mike Hein and Jeff Kaplan, Ellenville Village Mayor. Also on hand were representatives from Ulster County Mental Health Department, including Dr. Carol Smith, Commissioner; Cheryl Qamar, Deputy Commissioner, and Amy McCracken, Program Supervisor Clinical Services. Coalition Members advertise staff positions for free on The Coalition’s Job Board! Here's a sample: 
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New York State. In New York City, $1.7 million will leverage new construction of 80 rental units for low-income households, including 40 units for those who are or are at serious risk of becoming chronically homeless. Supportive services for these households will be provided by CAMBA, a Coalition member. Rental subsidies for half of these units will be provided by the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) as part of the NYNYIII agreement with the City of New York. In the Mid-Hudson region, $2.9 million create 42 rental units for low-income families, with 13 set aside for persons with special needs, including 5 units for persons living with AIDS. The Mid-Hudson awards will involve coordinated investment with NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
and CEO. Mr. Woodlock replaces Retired Founder, President & CEO Dr. Peter C. Campanelli (former Coalition President), and is expected to assume leadership of ICL on July 1, 2013. Most recently, he served as CEO of Four Winds Hospital, a private psychiatric system in upstate New York, where he replaced the facility's founder. During his five-year tenure at Four Winds, Mr. Woodlock was responsible for the overall executive leadership of the 88-bed inpatient services for children, adolescents and adults, an Adult Partial Hospital Program, and a Child and Adolescent Outpatient Program overall serving over 5,000 individuals annually. He also led a major collaborative primary care initiative.
a variety of positions. Most currently she served as Chief Program Officer since 2006. BAC is the oldest and largest non-profit HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment service organization in Brooklyn, providing comprehensive HIV/AIDS related services to underserved racial /ethnic minority communities in the borough. Over the past few years BAC has expanded its scope of service to include licensed mental health and substance abuse clinics. In 2012, it developed a Health Home Care coordination team.Professional Learning Center | Member Agencies | Jobs | Calendar
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