[Timothy's Team] Timothy's Law Update for November 3

[Bryan O'Malley]

Untitled DocumentSaturday, November 1 marked 150 days since the Assembly has
passed Timothy's Law, and still no action has been taken by the Senate.  To
put this in perspective, next week, the day after your local elections take
place, while politicians are celebrating their wins and commiserating about
their losses, parents and children in need of mental health and chemical
dependency services will continue to face discrimination in obtaining these
services.   Parents just like the O'Clairs, like Debra Graham, and thousands
of others throughout New York have waited 5 months in political limbo,
waiting for the Senate to pass Timothy's Law so that they or their loved
ones can access the services they need to be healthy, happy, contributing
members of society.

Of course, this also means that for 150 days, all of you have been out there
giving everything you have, and more, telling the Senate that they need to
pass Timothy's Law.  You have been pounding the pavement.  You have been
contacting your Senators.  You have been attending rallies.  You have been
communicating with your friends about the importance of Timothy's Law.  You
have been doing all this and more, and it is starting to show.

Senators from throughout the state are beginning to feel the pressure.  They
are hearing the stories.  They are hearing from constituents and finding out
that this is not a problem that is limited to the O'Clair family in
Schenectady.  However, the fact that our message is beginning to be heard
does not mean that we can relax.  We are all frustrated at the inaction.
But now that our voice is being heard, now that we are being listened to, we
need to yell louder.  We need to tell our stories again.  We need to ensure
that Senators hear from us, and know that we expect them to act, and we will
not accept anything less than Timothy's Law.

With this in mind, I am going to share with you upcoming campaign events.
As always, there are events going on throughout the state.  We hope that you
can make one of them.  If you are planning an event, we would like to help
you publicize it.  Let us know, and we will get it on the list to make sure
everyone knows.

Upcoming "Timothy's Law" events:

·                 On Wednesday, November 5, at 2:00 p.m., New York City
Councilman David Weprin will be holding a press conference announcing his
introduction of a resolution in the New York City Council calling upon the
NYS Senate to pass Timothy’s Law.  The press conference will be held on the
steps of City Hall in Manhattan.  If you don't know, City Hall is located in
Downtown Manhattan, in between Center St. and Broadway, just across from the
entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge.  Specific times for the event are not
available yet, keep tuned to www.timothyslaw.org for more details.



·                 On Tuesday, November 11, 2003, the Erie County Child
Mental Health Consortium, Erie County Network, Inc., and others will be
holding a rally in Buffalo at the Unitarian Universalist Church located at
695 Elmwood Ave (At the corner of West Ferry St.)  The rally will feature
Tom and Donna O'Clair and will begin at 12:00 noon.  For more information,
please review the attached flyer.



·                  On Thursday, November 13, 2003, there will be a mental
health awareness and education program in the auditorium of John C.
Birdlebough High School in Phoenix, NY, approximately 15 minutes northwest
of Syracuse.  The event will begin at 7:00 p.m.  The event is open to the
public and is intended for junior high and high school faculty, students and
their parents.  This is an opportunity for individuals to learn about these
vital topics that too often exist behind a shroud of secrecy.  Topics of
discussion will include mental health education, Timothy's Law, teen
suicide, suicide prevention, and information on the stigma associated with
mental illness and eating disorders.  Other topics of relevance will also be
discussed. A number of guest speakers will be in attendance, including Tom O
’Clair.  Senators from throughout Central New York have also been invited to
attend.  A flyer for the event has been attached to this e-mail.



·                 Literature drops and petition drives are continuing in
areas throughout the state.  Currently, literature is being distributed in
the Watertown area and the Capital District.  Drops are in the development
stages for the Syracuse area, Buffalo, and Binghamton.  Literature drops are
a fun and easy way to get some exercise, spend a morning outside, and spread
the word about Timothy's Law.  If you would like to volunteer to help pass
out materials in one of the areas currently distributing literature, you may
contact Elizabeth Patience in Watertown at elizabethp at nrcil.org or Mary Jean
Coleman in the Capital District at mjcsolo at aol.com.  You can sign up to help
with the literature drop effort in Buffalo at the rally on November 11, or
in Syracuse at the rally on the 13th.  If you would like to organize a
literature drop in your area, it is easy.  We have materials and can help
get volunteers.  To find out more about beginning a literature drop in your
area, e-mail bomalley at mhanys.org.



Again, thanks for all of your continued efforts and support.  We would not
be where we are today without your assistance.  The groundswell of support
hat has arisen this year in support of Timothy's Law has been incredible,
and it is because of this that the Senate will ultimately be forced pass
Timothy's Law.





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