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In 2003 the Presidents New Freedom Commission delivered the final report titled Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America.

In 2004, a White Paper commissioned by New York State Office of Mental Health was completed titled Infusing Recovery-Based Principles into Mental Health Services which was authored by thousands of consumers throughout New York State.

In the past three years there has been a lot of talk about transforming the system in New York based on these two important documents. The New Freedom Commission Report created six goals needed to transform the mental health system into a recovery-based system:

1. Americans understand that mental health is essential to overall health

2. Mental health care is consumer and family driven

3. Disparities in mental health services are eliminated

4. Early mental health screening, assessment and referral services are common practice

5. Excellent mental health care is delivered and research is accelerated

6. Technology is used to access mental health care and information

In the New York State White Paper the goals are as follows:

1. There must be informed choice

2. It must be recovery-focused

3. It must be person-centered

4. Do no harm

5. There must be free access to records

6. It must be a system based on trust

7. It must have a focus on cultural values

8. It must be knowledge-based

9. It must be based on a partnership between consumer and provider

10. There must be access to services regardless of ability to pay

The question that has been raised by consumers in New York is how do we implement and operationalize these rules and what will mental health services look like in a transformed system. The good news is that with perseverance and a consistent message of hope and recovery there are counties in New York that are acting on the suggested rules and beginning to operationalize them in full partnership with consumers, family members, providers and local governments.