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June 1, 2007Topics: Timothy’s Law Expansion This week the Assembly introduced an expansion of Timothy’s Law that would include mental health and substance abuse parity in Child Health Plus (CHP) and Family Health Plus (FHP). We are very supportive of this expansion and thank the Assembly for introducing this important legislation. The Timothy’s Law Campaign will be reaching out to the Senate in the hope that they will introduce a companion bill. We are optimistic that both sides, recognizing the many positive outcomes that have already come about because of Timothy’s Law, will work together to pass this legislation. Timothy’s Law Expansion to Family Health Plus and Child Health Plus Proposed May 29, 2007 News Release from Assemblymen Paul Tonko and Richard Gottfried In 2006, the Legislature enacted Timothy’s Law -- landmark legislation requiring health insurance plans to cover mental health services on the same terms as other care. At the time, Child Health Plus (CHP) and Family Health Plus (FHP) were left out of the legislation. Now, a bill is being introduced in Albany to extend “mental health and substance abuse parity” to those programs. Assembly Member Paul D. Tonko – sponsor of Timothy’s Law – and Richard N. Gottfried, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Health, today stood with colleagues, Tom O’Clair and other advocates to announce legislation that would provide full mental health and substance abuse parity to these two public health insurance programs. The legislation was introduced with 83 sponsors. There are now approximately 390,000 children in CHP and 510,000 people in FHP. Due to improved access changes in the programs, another 400,000 individuals would be covered over the next few years, bringing the total to over 1.3 million children and families. Often, when CHP eligible children lose coverage under the program, their family will soon become eligible for Medicaid, which has always had full parity for mental health and substance abuse. The federal government currently pays 65% of the costs associated with CHP, as opposed to 50% with Medicaid. Therefore, in many instances, the state’s policy not only makes it harder for people to get the services they need, it ends up costing taxpayers more money. “After a decade of steadfast and vigilant advocacy, Timothy’s Law was enacted and mental health parity became a much needed reality in New York State. Indeed, Timothy’s Law addresses millions of consumers in a dignified, compassionate and cost effective approach to treatments for mental illness and health disorders,” said Assemblyman Paul D. Tonko. “The agreed to outcome provided a just and critically needed foundation for continued work to provide for full mental health parity in New York. This bill is the next step toward that end. The measure would rightly ensure non-discrimination and fairness in mental health and related substance abuse treatment for over one million children and families served by the Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus programs. It is important to move forward together to undo any remaining unfairness.” Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried said “The failure to provide mental health and substance abuse parity to those who rely on Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus is a relic leftover from an era we need to end. It represents an era when society did not recognize the importance of treating mental illness.” Assembly Member Peter M. Rivera, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Mental Health, said, “Any such expansion of services is essential for the mental health consumers.” Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, said, “We made a good start last year with Timothy’s Law but much more needs to be done. It is imperative that the law be expanded to include coverage for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services. Treating individuals with substance abuse problems and bringing families back together is in the best interests of all New Yorkers.” Tom O’Clair, father of Timothy O’Clair - for whom Timothy’s Law was named – and Co-chair of the Timothy’s Law Campaign, said, “Once again Assemblymembers Tonko and Gottfried, as well as every other sponsor, show they are champions of the causes that are important, not just to their constituents, but to the State of New York. I wish to thank them all for taking the necessary steps to extend the benefits of Timothy's Law to over 1 million more New Yorkers. By proposing this legislation to include Family and Child Health Care Plus, we are once again breaking down long standing barriers that have prevented those who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse, from receiving the care and treatment they need, the same care and treatment that allows them to be everyday members of society.” Paige Pierce, Executive Director of Families Together in New York State and the other co-chair of the Timothy’s Law Campaign, said, “The Timothy’s Law Coalition is happy to see this important legislation and we look forward to working with you to ensure that all children and families get the mental health and substance abuse treatment they need, regardless of what type of insurance program they are in.” Expansion
of Mental Health Services in MHANYS is being very pro active in trying to change the debate regarding the shooting in Virginia Tech. The debate should be about the expansion of mental health services in college campuses and greater links to appropriate services with community providers. Attached below is an article from this week’s Legislative Gazette highlighting MHANYS call for greater mental health services on college campuses. MHANYS
offers suggestions in wake of Va. Tech shooting In response to the history-making violent shootings by a troubled student at Virginia Tech last month, the New York state Mental Health Association has made recommendations for college campuses aimed at shifting the public’s focus from violence to hope. “Public awareness, counseling centers, we think that’s where the thrust of the debate should be. It should be less about violence and more about how can we make sure they [college students in need of mental health services] have the resources available to them to get through in a college setting,” said Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association. In the wake of Virginia Tech, MHANYS has issued recommendations to college campuses, offering advice on how to best serve students. The association believes it is important to draw attention to positive changes that can be made at colleges as a result of the shooting, instead of allowing the incident to increase the stigma already attached to sufferers of mental illness. According to the statement, college campus counseling centers are not meeting the mental health needs of today’s student populations. The association cites the National Survey of Counseling Center Directors survey of 274 institutions, which showed an 85 percent increase in demand on campus counseling centers with no corresponding increase in crisis center personnel. MHANYS has identified several contributing factors leading to this drastic increase. The association points to a swell in alcohol abuse among college students that has forced providers of campus counseling services to change the way they offer treatment. “Co-occurring disorders,” said Liebman, referring to people who often suffer from mental illness and one or more forms of substance abuse, “are not always addressed appropriately in the community, and they are certainly not in colleges.” MHANYS also suggests diseases such as schizophrenia, clinical depression and bi-polar disorder, which manifest themselves during an individual’s late teens or early 20s, and an increase in college-age people who take medication for mental illness, have increased the demand on counseling centers. Cutting, a form of self-abuse, has also grown in prominence, and the Mental Health Association cited a National College Health Assessment study that put the number of college students who engage in some form of physical self-abuse at one in five, and tags suicide as the second leading cause of death among college students. MHANYS’ recommendations focus on increased education, outreach and accessibility of services. The association suggests “greater outreach from counseling centers to educate the administration, faculty and staff as to how to recognize and refer students to counseling centers.” The association urges outreach directed at students through Web sites and the dissemination of information at orientations and in the classroom. MHANYS recommends having one full-time mental health professional for every 1,000 to 1,500 students on campus and expanding counseling center hours and hotlines. “A lot of counseling centers are only open 9 to 5, Monday through Friday,” said Liebman. “We really have to strategize a way to get more resources.” The use of peer counselors and graduate interns in mentoring programs has also been recommended. |
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