Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc.
(Publication Archives)

Friday Fax from Albany

Timothy’s Law Campaign Press Release:

HUNDREDS CALL ON SENATE TO
‘PASS TIMOTHY’S LAW NOW’

Group gathers in Albany to end
discriminatory Health Insurance Policies

Hundreds of people gathered in Albany today to call on the New York State Senate to pass Timothy’s Law, legislation that will end the discrimination faced by New Yorkers in need of mental health and chemical dependency treatment.

The rally began at the New York State Museum, where participants were led to the Capitol by Alexandra Zimmerman, a young woman from Orange County who walked 122 miles from Warwick, NY in memory of high school classmate Robin Desrats, who completed suicide while the two were in school together.

After arriving at the East steps of the New York State Capitol, Alexandra Zimmerman, holding balloons representing Timothy O’Clair, Robin Desrats, the hope for a livable cure, and hope for those living with mental illness, began the rally by recounting her six day journey to Albany.

Zimmerman said of her journey, “It is due to the spirit and support of Robin and Timothy that I was able to make this journey, and today we all gather in their memory, to ensure that nobody else has to endure what they did.” She continued, “I congratulate all of you here today, as we all have journeyed, in numerous ways, to continue to spread hope to those living with mental illness. As we move forward, keep in mind, I am not special, this is a movement led by all of us. You don’t need to walk 120 miles to have an impact, all you need to do is contribute whatever you can.”

The rally also introduced Small Businesses for Timothy’s Law, a coalition formed by Susan Wheeler of Binghamton, NY, that will serve as a voice for small businesses who support mental health parity. Ms. Wheeler is the owner and proprietor of the Star Group in Binghamton, which serves as an employment services agency for those living with disabilities.

In announcing the group, Wheeler responded to arguments posed by those purporting to represent her and other small businesses in Albany by stating, “It’s not a matter of ‘can we afford to?’ It’s a matter of ‘can we afford not to?’”

She continued by arguing, “As small businesses, we are more dramatically effected by mental health issues. Issues such as lost worker productivity and absenteeism have a much more dramatic effect on us, because we do not have a sea of workers to call upon that can pick up the slack. In a marketplace geared toward larger corporations, any policy that does not provide small businesses with parity-based benefits only serves to place us at a competitive disadvantage.”

The emcee for the rally was Thomas O’Clair, father of Timothy O’Clair, in whose memory Timothy’s Law is named. In his remarks, Mr. O’Clair noted that it was time for the Senate to pass Timothy’s Law, noting that Timothy’s Law is the perfect example of the gridlock that has come to symbolize Albany.

“For two years, I have been told time and time again why Timothy’s Law cannot be passed. What I have never been told is what is necessary to pass it, to end the anguish that so many New Yorkers face because they cannot get the services they need and deserve. Timothy’s Law is supported by 80% of New Yorkers and represents the perfect opportunity for all sides to come together and begin to end the years of legislative gridlock that have existed in this state.”

Paige Macdonald of Families Together of New York State, and Co-chair of the Timothy’s Law Campaign with Tom O’Clair, stated, “This discrimination has gone on long enough. It is time for New York to take the next step to ensure no more families in this state are forced to endure what the O’Clairs and so many others have already had to face. It is time to pass Timothy’s Law.”

Alexandra’s Log: In addition to the Timothy’s Law Campaign Press Release, we would highly encourage everyone to read Alexandra’s daily log from her walk from Warwick to Albany posted on the message board at www.timothyslaw.org. Her effort and her words are truly inspirational!

In the News:

120-mile walkers seek state approval of mental health law. By Steve Earley
Kingston Freeman, November 17, 2004

LAKE KATRINE - Two Hudson Valley women who are walking from Orange County to Albany in support of a mental health parity law stopped on Tuesday in Lake Katrine, about the midpoint of a 120-mile journey that will end with a rally in front of the state Capitol on Thursday.

Breaking for lunch at the Mental Health Association in Ulster County office during their six-day trek were Jane Desrats, a psychotherapist from Warwick, and Alexandra Zimmerman, a benefits specialist with the Newburgh advocacy agency Independent Living.

The two are making the walk in memory of Robin Desrats, Desrats' daughter and Zimmerman's high school classmate.

Robin committed suicide six years ago at age 17.

Zimmerman, now 24, didn't know Robin when the two were classmates at Warwick High School - where this week's walk began - but she nonetheless was affected by the girl's death. When Robin took her own life in October 1998, Zimmerman was battling mental health problems of her own, having recently divulged to a teacher a secret she had been keeping: that she had been raped.

"It made me realize how much I wanted to live, and it made me realize how close to death I came myself," Zimmerman said. "That frightened me. I didn't even go to Robin's funeral."

Since then, Zimmerman has grown to confront her own mental health and has become an advocate for others. Working at group homes while attending Orange County Community College led her into the social services field and to Independent Living, where she became involved with lobbying for Timothy's Law, which would prevent insurance companies from limiting mental health coverage.

The proposed law is named for Timothy O'Clair, a 13-year-old Schenectady resident who committed suicide in 2001 after his family put him in foster care, which is covered by Medicaid, because they could not get insurance coverage for other types of mental health treatment.

"There's a stigma that's attached not only to suicide but to the entire mental health field," Desrats said. "I'm happy to be able to talk about it because it's so prevalent in society, and ... people don't have a place to go for help."

But Zimmerman said the walk isn't just about Robin or Timothy. "It's about people all over the state," she said. "While we are fighting to get this law passed, there are people who aren't getting services they need."

Michael Seereiter, director of public policy at the Mental Health Association in New York State, said Timothy's Law would require insurance companies to cover mental health treatment the same way they cover the treatment of physical ailments.

"If you have diabetes, cancer or any other physical health need, the insurance company will pay for your service as long as it's medically necessary," Seereiter said. "With mental health and chemical dependency, there's an arbitrary limit on the days you can see a professional."

Seereiter said once those limits - typically 30 impatient visits and 20 outpatient visits - are reached, mental health patients must wait for their policies to be renewed before their insurance company will fund further treatment.

"We're asking for those caps to be removed," Seereiter said.

Seereiter said the main obstacle to Timothy's Law is pressure from small business owners and the insurance industry, both of which say enacting the law would result in an "exponential" rise in insurance costs.

Seereiter, citing a recent study by Price Waterhouse Coopers, said enacting the law would increase insurance premiums by only $1.26 per employee per month.

"To think that's an exponential rise is far-fetched," he said.

Timothy's Law has been approved by Assembly but has yet to reach the floor of the Senate. State lawmakers return to work on Thursday, the day Zimmerman and Desrats plan to reach the Capitol.

Until next time, we remain,
Working to ensure available and accessible
mental health services for all New Yorkers