Budget Update

The Mental Hygiene Conference Committee met earlier today to discuss how to spend the $8 million they have available for OMH, OMRDD and OASAS. Simultaneously, the Legislature is also dealing with the impact of the 2% across the board funding cuts from the Paterson administration.

Today’s Mental Hygiene Committee meeting was very brief and largely focused on reviewing the impact of the administration budget cuts. The Legislature will have to determine if some of the $8 million will go to restore the administration cuts. The problem is, at this point, no one is exactly clear where the budget cuts are targeted. However, we are hearing that the COLA is safe from the budget cuts, though as we know all of this is subject to change.

The Mental Hygiene Committee is planning to meet through the weekend to resolve the issue of the $8 million. We remain hopeful that health care enhancements are part of that discussion.

Regarding the Health Committee, there was a conference committee meeting this morning. The issue of the anti-depressants in the Preferred Drug List was not discussed at the meeting. We are hearing mixed signals internally and will continue to advocate with the Health committee that the Anti-depressants must be restored.

I think that people who are both external advocates and internal advocates all struggle with a mental hygiene table that is only $8 million. Unfortunately, we have an incredibly small piece of the budget pie to work with. We are very lucky to have the strong leadership of Senator Morahan and Assembly member Rivera. Without them, this pot of money would be much smaller.

As advocates, we have to continue to do whatever we can to dramatically increase the mental hygiene allocation. Our community must become a much larger voting block and voice in the community. What struck me walking through the Capitol and Legislative Office Building today was that there were only the usual suspects roaming the halls (advocates, lobbyists, etc.). However, there was one group that was well represented and those were the folks from AARP.. They were the only group I saw out in numbers. As we did with Timothy’s Law, we have to continue to develop that strong base that can come advocate in Albany on our issues in a moment’s notice. We also have to let the legislature know that our stakeholders represent thousands of individuals who all vote. Without new strategies in place, we will continue to get only a small piece of the pie.

In the News

State Leaders Agree on $1.8B School Aid Boost
Associated Press
Last updated: 3:32 p.m., Friday, March 28, 2008

ALBANY -- Shrugging off scandal that has gripped New York's Capitol, Gov. David Paterson is agreeing with legislative leaders on a historic increase in school aid.

The agreement is part of a $124 billion state budget framework that will be worked on through the weekend.

The totals for key budget areas are now set. They include a $1.8 billion increase in state school aid, including $400 million agreed to in closed-door meetings overnight. That will mean school aid will be well over $20 billion and among the highest totals in the nation.

Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno is praising the new Democratic governor for his cooperation and leadership after former Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned two weeks ago after he was implicated in a prostitution investigation.