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On July 24, 2002, approximately 300 mental health consumers, advocates, providers, and family members participated in the Mental Health Community Forum with New York City Executive Deputy Commissioner for Mental Hygiene, Dr. Lloyd Sederer. Executive Deputy Commissioner Sederer addressed attendees and answered questions regarding his vision for mental health policy in New York City. The forum, organized by a committee of consumers and staff, represented ten state and local mental health agencies.

Dr. Sederer began by discussing the important role the Department will have in continuing to respond to those, in particular the children, affected by the terrorist attacks experienced last September. During his keynote address, Dr. Sederer described a vision to enhance mental health service provision. Specifically, the City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ("the Department") will place greater emphasis on the mental health care needs of children and the elderly as well as shift towards performance-based contracting.

Throughout the evening, Dr. Sederer addressed several issues of importance to the mental health community including supportive housing, adult homes, discharge planning for jails, police interaction with emotionally disturbed individuals, and employment.

Dr. Sededer began by acknowledging the need for additional supportive housing and further indicated that the Department as a whole was committed to addressing this issue. "A place to live is fundamental to recovery," he announced. With supportive housing vacancy rates nearing 2%, it is imperative that the Department engage in efforts to generate more dollars for appropriate housing. Dr. Sederer also announced his support of a third New York/New York Agreement, which if adopted would ensure the development of more supportive housing for homeless individuals with a mental illness as well as families with multiple barriers to independence.

In first expressing the severity of the adult home crisis, Dr. Sederer stated that "this is no way for human beings to be treated." He vowed to work to increase the supply of supportive housing for the nearly 5,500 people with psychiatric disabilities living without access to rehabilitative services in often unsafe and ill-kept adult homes. Dr. Sederer addressed the issue of discharge planning from New York City jails by reiterating the Department's support of efforts to identify and enroll (pending discharge) inmates eligible for Medicaid as early as possible in their correctional facility stay. In addition, he said that the Department is committed to doing whatever it can in the context of available funding to ensure that people with mental illness who come into contact with the criminal justice system get appropriate care and treatment. Forum participants inquired how the advocacy community can work with the Division of Mental Hygiene and the New York Police Department (NYPD) to both develop and implement best practices when officers are expected to respond to Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) calls. While Dr. Sederer acknowledged the need for ongoing dialogue involving all stakeholders, he briefly discussed proactive measures taken by the Department to address this issue. To date, 15 NYPD officers have been trained through a statewide curriculum intended to better prepare police officers to respond to EDP calls. In addition, thanks to a collaborative effort with the Department, NYPD officers are now equipped to provide LifeNet referrals.

Dr. Sederer concluded the evening by discussing the Department's plans to combat the far-reaching stigmatization experienced by mental health consumers. This issue will be addressed through continuing efforts to educate communities about mental illness as well as through the promotion of employment opportunities for people with psychiatric disabilities. While Dr. Sederer acknowledged that consumers want to work, he also recognizes that ongoing stigmatization contributes to the glaring fact that 85-92% of mental health consumers are unemployed. When asked how the Division of Mental Hygiene plans to effectively address the stigma experienced by consumers, looking to access viable employment, Dr. Sederer responded "nothing short of competitive employment will do." Specifically, the Department plans to address the unemployment rate by encouraging mental health providers to document outcomes of efforts to assist consumers in obtaining and maintaining employment.