Email | Print

The New York Association for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) is a statewide coalition of mental health service providers and consumers fighting for the rights of mental health consumers in New York State. January 29th was their annual Legislative Day and this year NYAPRS gathered a record 600 mental health consumers from throughout the State in Albany.

Once in Albany, participants gathered in an enormous auditorium where NYAPRS representatives were joined by representatives from the physical disability community in honoring Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, for linking the Medicaid Buy-in with the recent billion-dollar healthcare financing agreement. Medicaid Buy-in allows consumers to return to work and not have to worry about losing their Medicaid, effective April 2003. Speakers spoke on six major NYAPRS advocacy priorities. Jack Guastaferro, Immediate Past President of NYAPRS and Executive Director of the Restoration Society in Buffalo, delivered the statement of the first issue, renewing Reinvestment dollars to fund a COLA (cost of living adjustment) and a proposal for a Medicaid fee hike for community mental health workers. Reinvestment dollars come from the downsizing of state hospitals and should be "reinvested" into community programs.

Assemblyman Jim Brennan, and NYAPRS NYC Regional Coordinator Sue Batkin discussed Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility (MPE). MPE provides instant Medicaid coverage to consumers discharged from hospitals, prisons and jails in order for them to afford medication and treatment. Assemblyman Brennan is the MPE bill's sponsor.

Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur Eve and Lauren Pareti, NYAPRS NYC Regional Coordinator discussed the unlawful use of solitary confinement on mentally ill prisoners.Assemblyman Eve sponsored legislation addressing this issue.

Susan Perr, NYAPRS Co-Chair of Public Policy discussed the issue of proper oversight and protection with the use of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT). Too many consumers are forced into ECT treatment, according to NYAPRS.

Jody Silver, NYAPRS Co-President and Ray Schwartz, NYAPRS Co-Chair of Public Policy presented the issue concerning the regulation of adult homes and enforcement of those regulations.

The final issue concerned mental health insurance parity, delivered by Gene O'Brien, NYAPRS Vice President. Insurance parity could give consumers incentive to return to work if private insurance companies cover mental health treatment as well as they do physical health.

After the issues were presented, feature speakers were: Commissioner James Stone, Senate Mental Health Committee Chair, Thomas Libous, and Assemblyman Martin Luster. Commissioner Stone reviewed details of the current mental health budget proposal. Senator Libous voiced a strong commitment to restoration of Reinvestment for the COLA and Medicaid fee hike and also talked about parity. Assemblyman Luster echoed Libous' support for Reinvestment for COLA and Medicaid fee hike and spoke on behalf of ECT legislation and parity legislation, both of which he is sponsoring.

Participants then filed over to the east steps of the Capital and joined colleagues from the children's mental health advocacy community for a joint rally in support of COLA and a Medicaid fee hike through the restoration of Reinvestment. Afterwards, consumers and their advocates went lobbying to present these issues to their legislators and legislators' aides. It was a productive day of political involvement on behalf of thousands of consumers who could not attend.