[NYAPRS Enews] BPSB: Kendra's Law Expansion is Wrong Answer for New York; Call Albany This Week!

Tue May 29 08:58:11 EDT 2012

NYAPRS Note: Versions of this commentary were published in this
weekend's Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin and Ithaca Journal. 

Please continue to let Albany of your opposition to proposals to expand
Kendra's Law by making 3 phone calls this week!

GOVERNOR CUOMO AT 518-474-8390

ASSEMBLY SPEAKER SILVER AT 518-455-3791

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER DEAN SKELOS AT 518-455-3171

and leave the following message

"I'm a registered voter calling from (your locality) urging you to
oppose proposals to expand Kendra's Law or make it permanent 

and to instead support true service improvements"

Guest Viewpoint: Kendra's Law Expansion is Wrong Answer for New York

By Harvey Rosenthal  Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin  May 25, 2012

All across the nation, state and local systems of mental health care
have been wrestling with how to best get timely help to people with
challenging conditions and lives who are prone to relapse, crisis and
avoidable hospital admissions and contacts with the criminal justice
system.

Here in New York, several recent initiatives proposed by Gov. Andrew
Cuomo's Medicaid Redesign Team and approved by legislative stalwarts are
showing impressive results in helping to fill the cracks in these
systems.

One program has brought in regional behavioral health organizations to
make sure that hospitals come up with better discharge plans, while
Medicaid health homes are being developed across New York to ensure that
accountable teams of providers stay closely involved to help avoid
relapse-related crises.

These approaches will reach up to a million vulnerable New Yorkers and
are a more proven and affordable approach than a current proposal to
expand Kendra's Law, which relies on court orders whose effectiveness
have yet to be proven and that is used primarily in New York City and
Long Island (81 percent). In fact, 28 upstate counties have had great
results voluntarily engaging at-risk individuals with effective enhanced
service packages, using a scant five or fewer court orders last year.

The Kendra's Law expansion bill is opposed by more than 15 leading
statewide patient, provider and disability advocacy groups, who see no
need to make midstream modifications before the law's scheduled
legislative review in 2015. We feel that the proposed Kendra's Law
expansion will needlessly increase the role of courts and police instead
of raising the accountability and incentives for community mental health
providers to actively engage and serve our most vulnerable.

Most troubling, the expansion proposal is silent on how to pay for the
proposed expansion. The state Conference of Local Mental Hygiene
Directors conservatively estimates more than $22 million in increased
costs to counties for the staff and services necessary to comply with
the bill. No county is in a position to absorb another unfunded state
mandate, and the result likely would be cuts in services for other
people and families in need.

Finally, it is also important to make clear that people with psychiatric
disabilities are not a threat to public safety. In fact, research is
clear that we are 11 times more likely to be victims of violence. We
deserve more and better directed treatment, not more involvement with
judges and police who are already overburdened with their primary
duties.

We hope that lawmakers will withhold support for Kendra's Law expansion
and instead continue to focus on smarter, stronger solutions.

Rosenthal is a member of the Medicaid Redesign Team and executive
director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Services.

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20120527/VIEWPOINTS02/205270305/Gue
st-Viewpoint-Kendra-s-Law-expansion-wrong-answer-New-York?odyssey=nav%7C
head&nclick_check=1

===========

Guest Viewpoint: Kendra's Law expansion is wrong answer for New York

By Harvey Rosenthal  Ithaca Journal May 25, 2012

All across the nation, state and local systems of mental health care
have been wrestling with how to best get timely help to people with
challenging conditions and lives who are prone to relapse, crisis and
avoidable hospital admissions and contacts with the criminal justice
system.

Here in New York, several recent initiatives proposed by Gov. Andrew
Cuomo's Medicaid Redesign Team and approved by legislative stalwarts
such as Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton are showing impressive results in
helping to fill the cracks in these systems.

One program has brought in regional behavioral health organizations to
make sure that hospitals come up with better discharge plans, while
Medicaid health homes are being developed across New York to ensure that
teams of providers stay closely involved to help avoid relapse-related
crises.

These approaches will reach up to a million vulnerable New Yorkers and
are a more proven and affordable approach than a current proposal to
expand Kendra's Law, which relies on court orders whose effectiveness
have yet to be proven and that are used primarily in New York City and
Long Island (81 percent). In fact, 28 upstate counties have had great
results voluntarily engaging at risk individuals with effective enhanced
service packages, using a scant five or less court orders last year.

Referenced in the May 21 Guest Viewpoint by D.J. Jaffe, the Kendra's Law
expansion bill is actually opposed by over 15 leading statewide patient,
provider and disability advocacy groups, who see no need to make
midstream modifications before the law's scheduled legislative review in
2015. We feel that the proposed Kendra's Law expansion will needlessly
increase the role of courts and police instead of raising the
accountability and incentives for community mental health providers to
actively engage and serve our most vulnerable.

Most troubling, the expansion proposal is silent on how to pay for the
proposed expansion. The state Conference of Local Mental Hygiene
Directors conservatively estimates more than $22 million in increased
costs to counties for the staff and services necessary to comply with
the bill. No county is in a position to absorb another unfunded state
mandate and the result would likely be cuts in services for other people
in need.

Finally, it is also important to make clear that people with psychiatric
disabilities are not a threat to public safety. In fact, research is
clear that we are 11 times more likely to be victims of violence. We
deserve more and better directed treatment, not more involvement with
judges and police who are already overburdened with their primary
duties.

Assemblywoman Lifton has long been a highly respected champion for the
health and rights of New Yorkers with psychiatric disabilities, as well
as a careful steward of public funds. We hope that she will once again
withhold support for Kendra's Law expansion and instead continue to
focus on smarter, stronger solutions.

Rosenthal is a member of the Medicaid Redesign Team and executive
director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Services.

http://m.ithacajournal.com/viewpoints/article?a=2012205280305&f=1004

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