Fall Campaign Meeting Details to Follow

Take Action Now- Click here to join the Campaign in urging that 500 of the 2000 new beds proposed in the Budget be set aside for people with mental illnesses living in adult homes.

	Consumers, family members, staff and advocates from across New York came to Campaign's January 23rd housing rally in Albany. This was the largest mental health rally ever held in New York.
	Campaign Photo Exhibit, January 22-23 in the "Well" of the Legislative Office Building, Albany featuring stories from around the state of people struggling to find housing for themselves or their loved ones.
	Antonia Lasicki, ED, Association for Community Living, Senator Morahan, Chair of the Senate Mental Health Committee and Steve Coe, Chair of the Campaign and ED, Community Access at April 24th press conference in Albany.

Campaign Testifies at NYS Office of Mental Health Hearing on Statewide, Five-Year Plan for Mental Health Services

On Monday July 30^th, the Campaign testified before the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) at a hearing held in New York City related to the OMH Five-Year Plan for Mental Health Services throughout New York State .

In the testimony, the Campaign expressed support for the OMH regionally-based planning and housing development initiative to determine the mental health housing needs that exist across New York and put a plan in place to develop more housing and provide for services to meet the existing and future needs. 

Also the Campaign called on OMH to adopt a needs-driven allocation formula by region so the most acute areas of need are addressed in the short term, expand affordable housing opportunities with a focus on expanding access to most integrated settings, and invest in community-based, recovery-oriented services with an array of housing and service options that consumers can choose from to best meet their needs.  Click here to read the Campaign’s full testimony

Almost $300 Million Included in Final State Budget for Mental Health Housing

As a result of all of the efforts by the Campaign, countless organizations and individuals across the state, the Final Budget that passed on April 1^st included almost $300 million for mental health housing and services, originally proposed by Governor Spitzer in his Executive Budget.  Such funding will help complete development of the NY/NY III beds, add 2,000 new beds to the system statewide and provide additional funds to preserve and reform mental health housing services.

January 23rd Mental Health Housing Rally a Huge Success
Over 1,500 Turn Out for Largest Rally for a Mental Health Cause in State History

Thank you to everyone who traveled to Albany on January 23rd to rally for mental health housing. After months of planning, the Campaign brought over 1,500 people from across the state to the Capitol, sending a strong message to state leaders.

The theme of the day was: “Preserve—Reform—Develop!” as we called on the Governor and Legislature to include $100 million in the state budget to preserve services at 30,000 existing supportive housing units, reform existing models and programs to meet the complex needs of clients, and develop 35,000 new units of supportive housing.

Based on our success this year in raising awareness and achieving significant funding for mental health housing and services in the 2007 Budget, we are optimistic that Governor Spitzer, Dr. Michael Hogan (Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health) and Members of the State Legislature will continue to be partners in reforming mental health housing in the State to provide new opportunities and a brighter future for people living with mental illnesses.