[Timothy's Team] Timothy's Team Update

[Michael Seereiter]

TOM O'CLAIR INVITES TIMOTHY'S LAW SUPPORTERS TO JOIN HIM IN ALBANY ON
DECEMBER 13TH FOR EXPECTED PASSAGE OF TIMOTHY'S LAW IN NYS ASSEMBLY:  As
Timothy's Law advocates had been hoping, it appears that the NYS Assembly
will indeed take up the agreed upon version of Timothy's Law when it returns
to Albany for a "Special Session" called by Governor Pataki on December
13th.  Obviously very excited about this development, Tom O'Clair (Timothy's
father) is planning to be at the Capitol that day.  As previous versions of
Timothy's Law have passed the Assembly by wide margins in the past, this
version is also expected to pass as well, paving the way for the bill to be
delivered to Governor Pataki for his consideration by the end of the year
before he leaves office. 

 

In addition to joining Tom at the Capitol on December 13th, everyone is
urged to contact Governor Pataki to urge his approval of Timothy's Law when
it arrives at his desk.  

 

You can contact the Governor by:
Calling: (518) 474-1041. Leave a message asking the Governor to sign
Timothy's Law. 
Writing: 
Governor George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224 
E-mailing: Go to  <http://161.11.121.121/govemail>
http://161.11.121.121/govemail. 

 

 

 

 

IN THE NEWS:

 

Pass this into law 
State Assembly needs to follow lead of Senate and approve Timothy's Law. 

Elmira Star-Gazette Editorial                November 17, 2006

 

Old prejudices die hard.

So it is with the compromise version of Timothy's Law that passed through a
special session of the New York State Senate early this year. The Assembly
has not yet considered the measure, but there's time -- and no good reason
not to act.

For those who have lost track of the many legislative initiatives named
after victims, this law is named after 12-year-old Timothy O'Clair, a
Schenectady boy who committed suicide after his parents fought for years to
get him adequate mental health care. The family's insurance coverage was
limited, and the last-minute desperate attempt to get Timothy care by
relinquishing custody to the state proved too late.

No family -- no one -- should find themselves in such a position or have to
make such a choice.

But years of negative stereotypes about mental illness still cling to us,
and insurance companies less than eager to weaken profits have been
reluctant to alter that norm. If a person is diagnosed with a heart ailment
rooted in a physical imperfection in that organ, treatment is generally
undertaken and continues until full recovery or a long-term maintenance plan
is set. Insurance companies follow all the way along.

If someone is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, an ailment rooted in a
physical imperfection in the brain, treatment is too often refused or
limited, regardless of the health impact of that policy. Old notions that
mental health issues are a defect in character, rather than a flaw in brain
function, have long buried that health care disparity under a cloak of
shame.

With its passage of Timothy's Law, the Senate tried to help change that. The
law sets minimum outpatient and inpatient visit insurance standards for
everyone. In addition to assisting small businesses in meeting any potential
added costs, it broadens the scope of coverage large employers must provide
to adults and at-risk children -- including health issues such as major
depression and panic disorders, illnesses long dismissed as an indulgence to
the weak willed.

It is far from a perfect package. Too little is done to address addictive
disorders such as alcoholism and substance abuse -- diseases with deep
physical roots also long dismissed as indulgences of the weak willed.

An earlier Assembly-backed version of the bill included this coverage, but
this compromise version does not

This Timothy's Law is an important first step, and the Assembly should
return before year's end to add its approval. A spokesman for Sheldon
Silver, D-Manhattan, said Wednesday the speaker has no plans to call a
special session. We strongly urge the speaker to change his mind.

Assemblyman James G. Bacalles, R-Corning, agrees with us.

"I can't believe that leadership in the Assembly would let this slide by
without a vote," Bacalles said Wednesday. "My guess is that we will be going
back before the end of the year. I'd be surprised if we didn't."

Without Assembly approval this year, the measure would die. Don't let that
happen without a vote, Mr. Silver.

Breaking down this barrier is essential and long overdue. 

 

 

Pass mental health parity legislation 

Watertown Daily Times Letter to the Editor                 November 06, 2006

 

Since I wrote about Timothy's Law, there have been some serious negotiations
between the Timothy's Law Coalition and state Assembly and Senate leaders
regarding the mental health parity law that is named in honor of Timothy
O'Clair.

As a result of those negotiations, the Senate finally passed the bill
unanimously. Now due to changes in Timothy's Law, we wait for the Assembly
to reconvene and once again pass the mental health parity bill that will
free those people with mental health issues from the discriminatory shackles
that certain employer health insurance companies have them chained to by not
giving them access to the full health care that they need.

After the Assembly has passed Timothy's Law, it will go to Gov. George
Pataki to be signed and he has said that he might not sign it. Timothy's Law
has to be signed by the governor by Jan. 1. If he does not sign it, we will
have to start all over from scratch. 

Though most of the original law is still intact, the part about alcohol and
substance abuse had to be eliminated. Let's hope it can be added in the
future. Right now, it is imperative to get Gov. Pataki to sign Timothy's Law
this year thereby putting an end to the discriminatory practices of the
health insurance companies that result in the untimely deaths of so many of
our peers and consumers. 

So let's get cracking, folks. Are we going to let the discrimination
continue? Are we going to sit on our posteriors and do nothing while there
are children, like Timothy O'Clair, taking their own lives? Or are we going
to sit right down and write the governor a letter urging him to sign the
mental health parity bill? I hope and pray that the answer to the last
question is a resounding yes, yes and once again yes. 

 

June C. Gundersen

Watertown

 

 

 
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