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The New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, a statewide mental-health organization that advocates to protect and promote the rights of mental-health consumers and consumer-friendly providers, held two forums in New York City this summer to decide which issues the group should focus on in Albany this year.
At the forums on August 9 at St. Francis College in Brooklyn and July 26 at Judson Memorial Church in Manhattan, NYAPRS leaders discussed emerging issues and encouraged the audience to give feedback on systemic issues of concern.
Consumers recommended changes to adult homes, more housing, services for those with both physical- and mental-health issues, peer-employment opportunities, legal support, medication co-payment reductions, increased efforts to lessen forced mental-health treatment and passage of “the SHU bill,” which aims to eliminate the placement of psychiatrically disabled prisoners in solitary confinement.
Harvey Rosenthal, the executive director of NYAPRS, talked about recent legislative successes.
Highlights included procuring a cost-of-living increase for providers, rate increases for supportive housing, legislative passage of “the SHU bill” and legislative passage of a waiting-list bill, which requires the New York State Office of Mental Health to document individuals waiting for mental-health housing.
NYAPRS brings hundreds of people from New York City to Albany each January for NYAPRS Legislative Day.
Please save the date for the 2007 Legislative Day on January 30. The bus trip and food are free, the company is great, and participants gain a chance to talk to elected officials one-on-one.
On Legislative Day, there are two ways to volunteer. Participants can become either Team Leaders or Bus Captains, depending on relevant advocacy experience. Team Leaders lead meetings of five to seven people with legislators, working with their teams to determine which issues are the most important to bring up with elected officials. Bus Captains account for each person traveling to Albany.
There are also ways to help NYAPRS during the year. Field Organizers, identified based on their participation in NYAPRS-led activities, educate and mobilize people at their own agencies, and coordinate the participation of their peers in NYAPRS advocacy events such as Legislative Day. Contributing only a few hours a month, Field Organizers gain experience and skills, and participate in an important organization that is trying to improve mental healthcare and recovery for all of us.
Or interested individuals can join the NYAPRS-NYC Regional Meeting, which is held once a month.
We encourage you to join us. NYAPRS is a coalition of people who use and provide recovery-oriented, community-based mental-health services. NYAPRS values differences, and promotes opportunities and cultural competence in all areas of NYAPRS work.