[NYAPRS Enews] Alert: Urge NYS Senate to Approve Kendra's Law Extension not Permanence

[Harvey Rosenthal]

NYAPRS Note: On the heels of unanimous approval by the NYS Assembly, the
NYS Senate is poised to approve legislation extending Kendra's Law and
seeing expansion in voluntary service packages to at risk individuals
(especially from communities of color), rather than to expand it and
make it permanent. Please make the following calls today to urge NYS
Senators to do the same! 

 

Join Top NYS Mental Health Advocates In Supporting Extension Not
Permanence for Kendra's Law

Call NYS Senate TODAY and Urge Them to Pass S.7254 (Morahan)

 

A coalition of leading NYS mental health organizations (see below) all
agree that a 5 year extension of Kendra's Law, as recommended by the NYS
Office of Health, introduced by the both Legislative Mental Health
Committee Chairmen and approved unanimously by the NYS Assembly, is the
most appropriate course to address numerous questions left unanswered by
a legislative mandated study.

 

Now It's Your Turn to Make Your Voice Heard: Make Two Calls Today!

Call Senate Leader John Sampson at 518-455-2788

Call Your Own State Senator at 518-455-2800 (Senate Switchboard)

 

And leave the following message:

"I'm a registered voter calling from (your locality) to strongly support
passage of S.7254 (Morahan) extending Kendra's Law (to ensure enhanced
voluntary mental health outreach and engagement services are afforded to
all New Yorkers with psychiatric disabilities)."

------------

BACKGROUND

In 2005, the Legislature extended Kendra's Law, ordering an independent
study to examine program disparities.

 

As Expected, the Study Found People Do Better When They Get Greater
Access to Care...

But It Failed to Answer the Questions Posed by the Legislature

 

Do We Need A Court Order to Improve Access to Care? : 82% (8,275) of the
orders emanate from New York City and Long Island with almost 7,000
voluntary service packages offered in the rest of the state. Yet the
study failed to compare voluntary and court ordered care. 

 

Do We Use/Need More Court Orders for People of Color? 64 percent of
involuntary orders were levied at African American and Hispanic New
Yorkers with mental illnesses. This striking imbalance continues to turn
up even in areas of the state where those groups are vastly outnumbered.


"Culturally-centered innovative strategies for outreach and engagement
must be first used when addressing the needs of Hispanics and other
underserved communities."  Dr. Rosa Gil, Founder, President  & CEO of
Comunilife, Inc

 

Groups Backing Kendra's Law Extender A.10790 (Ortiz), S.7254 (Morahan)

Association for Community Living * Center for Disability Rights *
Coalition for the Homeless * Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies *
Communilife* Community Access* Families Together of New York State
*Geriatric Mental Health Alliance * Greater New York Hospital
Association *Mental Health Association of New York City * Mental Health
Association in New York State * National Association of Social Workers-
NYS * National Association of Social Workers- NYC * New York Association
of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services * New York Association on
Independent Living* New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene
Directors * NYS Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare New York
State Psychiatric Association * New York State Rehabilitation
Association * Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy *Supportive
Housing Network of New York* UJA-Federation of New York* Venture House

 

Give the Office of Mental Health 5 More Years to Address These
Disparities!

Please Pass A.10790 (Ortiz), S.7254 (Morahan)





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