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

Friday Fax from Albany

SAVE THE DATE

March 7, 2005
MHANYS’ Legislative Conference and Lobby Day
711-A Legislative Office Building, Albany

Legislature Returns to Albany, Again: On Monday, members of the Senate and Assembly are due back in Albany to at least continue discussions on a number of issues that remain outstanding. Unfortunately, there is no indication that discussions on Timothy’s Law will take place next week.

However, as a result of the pressure we have placed on members of the legislature to restore local assistance funding for mental health programs, vetoed by the Governor in August, there is some indication that the Senate and Assembly will attempt to resolve this issue. Nonetheless, if we are to be successful in seeing this funding restored, we must not back off now.

Therefore, we urge everyone to, once again, call your Senators and Assemblymembers and urge them to restore the local assistance funding for mental health programs. When you call, if you can, give them an example of the types of programs that will be cut or eliminated. Having spoken with many MHAs regarding this issue, we know there are examples in many, if not most of the communities throughout the state.

Restore the Mental Health – Local Assistance Budget Cuts!

Call Your Representatives On Monday, December 6th
and urge them to restore the cuts to mental health – local assistance.

Call the Senate Switchboard – 518-455-2800 – Ask for your Senator
Call the Assembly Switchboard – 518-455-4100 – Ask for your Assemblymember

If you are unsure of who your elected representatives are, go to http://map01.elections.state.ny.us/boe/main.asp.

In the News:

Crowd rallies for Timothy’s Law passage. By Chloe Mister
Legislative Gazette, November 22, 2004

After a moment of silence in memory of Timothy O’Clair and Robin Desrats, both victims of mental illness who committed suicide, a loud cheer rang out.

“What do we want?” Tom O’Clair yelled to the crowd of supporters outside the steps of the New York State Capitol. “Timothy’s Law,” the crowd responded. O’Clair, the father of Timothy O’Clair, the boy the bill is named for, led the cheers on a chilly Thursday afternoon.

Some traveled by bus, others drove, one person even walked. They traveled from Brooklyn, the Bronx, Westchester, Warwick, Syracuse, and other parts of the state. People of varied races and backgrounds demanded that the Legislature pass Timothy’s Law, a bill that would give parity for mental health funding for treatment. Armed with placards that read “No one should die” and “What if it was your child, Bruno?” many in the audience demanded that legislators come outside and face them.

The bill passed in the Assembly twice, but not in the Senate.

“New York State is a backward state because the New York State Senate has yet to hear the voice of the people,” said Assemblyman James F. Brennan, D-Brooklyn.

One out of four Americans will suffer from some form of mental illness in their lives, from depression to grief, to other serious forms like manic depression and schizophrenia, according to Brennan.

“When people have access to mental health benefits, all of society benefits from that. Business benefits from that, but because we don’t have parity, millions of New Yorkers don’t have adequate access to mental health benefits and they lead lives that are unproductive,” Brennan said. “It’s especially bad for children and their families, because of the restrictions, families cannot pay. Sometimes families have to give up their children to get them help.”

Senate Minority Leader David A. Patterson, D-Manhattan, also attended the rally to support the bill.

“I want to thank all of you for making use of this special session of the Legislature to do something productive. So that we can all say that something productive happened here today, since I can’t think of a thing that’s going on in that building that’s remotely productive,” Patterson said.
Patterson told the crowd that three years ago he experienced some unhappiness in his life, when a colleague who was a psychiatrist suggested he go to counseling.

“It was the most enlightening experience of my life. It’s not that you go always to solve a mental health problem, sometimes you go to move from good to better. What I’m trying to say is we have to reverse what have been years and years of misunderstanding about mental health services and their need in all families and work environment around the state,” Patterson said.

Susan Wheeler, a small business owner, watched an employee struggle with mental illness before eventually becoming disabled and ultimately winding up in jail for stabbing someone. Wheeler joined the rally to announce the formation of a group of small businesses for Timothy’s Law. Wheeler urged those in the crowd who worked for small businesses to speak to their employees about Timothy’s Law.

“It’s not a matter of if we can afford to, I say it’s more of a matter of how can we can afford not to,” Wheeler said.

The Senate Republicans remain quiet on the issue, only saying that the state cannot afford the bill. However every national survey says the opposite, according to Patterson.

“Other states are leaving us behind, other states are making it possible for families to receive these services,” Patterson said.

They are many families like the O’Clairs who cannot afford the health care for a mentally ill child.

Maureen Fuller, a resident of Watertown who drove to the rally, said her son suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder. He is about to lose his Medicaid benefits once he turns 18, but he still has a couple of years of high school.

“He takes three medications, goes to therapy twice a week, and sees a psychiatrist. It’s scary what we are going to have to face,” Fuller said

Many left the steps of the Capitol after the rally to see the inside of the building where their representatives were in session.

“I’m getting the opinion that you can’t always change everybody’s mind, but you can change who is representing your district,” Patterson said.

Trek promotes mental health coverage. By Paul Ertelt, Ottaway News Service
Middletown Times Herald Record, November 19, 2004

Albany - Walking 122 miles from Orange County to the state Capitol was the easy part.

"A piece of cake," joked Alexandra Zimmerman, a 24-year-old Middletown resident.

The tough part was calling the family of a classmate who committed suicide during her senior year at Warwick High School, she said.

Zimmerman, who completed her six-day walk yesterday, wanted to draw attention to Timothy's Law, a measure to improve health-insurance coverage for treatment of mental illness.

She also wanted to dedicate the walk to Robin Desrats, whose 1998 death forced her to come to terms with her own mental illness. Although they attended the same school, Zimmerman never knew Desrats, and she didn't know how her family would react to someone dredging up an old tragedy.

But when she finally got up the nerve to call a few weeks ago, Jane Desrats, Robin's mother, jumped at the idea.

Zimmerman started Saturday from Warwick High School, with Jane Desrats following her in a support van. Supporters walked with her part of the way, including Robin's father, Dick; her twin sister, Renee; and Tom and Donna O'Clair.

The legislation was named for the O'Clairs' son, Timothy, who committed suicide in 2001 at the age of 12. The bill would require health insurance companies to provide coverage for mental illness on par with coverage for physical ailments.

As a teenager, Zimmerman also struggled with mental illness, but her family's health plan covered only a fraction of the cost of treatment.

The bill has passed in the Assembly, but advocates say the Senate version is so watered down that it is meaningless. Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, R-Brunswick, said yesterday that negotiations on the bill are continuing and he expects an agreement will be reached acceptable to both houses.

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