Practice English Speaking&Listening with: Joint Legislative Public Hearing on Executive Budget Proposal: Mental Hygiene Hearing - 02/03/20

>> GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS LIZ KRUEGER.

I AM THE CHAIR OF THE NEW YORK

STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE

AND CO-CHAIR OF TODAY'S BUDGET

HEARING.

TODAY IS THE 5th OF 13

HEARINGS CONDUCTED GUY JOINT

FISCAL COMMITTEES OF THE

LEGISLATURE REGARDING THE

GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR

STATE FISCAL YEAR 2021.

THESE HEARINGS CONDUCTED

PURSUANT TO THE NEW YORK STATE

CONSTITUTION AND LEGISLATIVE

LAW.

TODAY THE SENATE FINANCE

COMMITTEE AND THE REPLY WAYS &

MEANS COMMITTEE WILL HEAR

TESTIMONY CONCERNING THE

GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR

THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH,

OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES,

OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND

SUPPORTS, AND THE JUSTICE CENTER

FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE

WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.

FOG FOLLOWING EACH TESTIMONY

THERE WILL BE SOME TIME FOR

QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAIRS OF THE

FISCAL COMMITTEES AND OTHER

LEGISLATORS.

I WILL NOW INTRODUCE MEMBERS OF

THE SENATE, AND AFTERWARDS

HELENE WEINSTEIN WILL INTRODUCE

MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY.

SO FOR THE SENATE DEMOCRATS, WE

HAVE DAVID CARLUCCI, PETE

HASHING AM, JOHN LIU, LOUIE

SEPULVEDA, DIANE SAVINO, ANNA

KAPLAN AND GUSTAVO RIVERA.

FOR FOR MY SENATE REPUBLICANS.

JAMES SEWARD THE RANK ARE IN

FINANCE.

>> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.

I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE FROM MY

CONFERENCE SENATOR FRED AKSHAR

AND SENATOR BRELO.

>> THANK YOU.

ASSEMBLY.

>> WE HAVE WITH US AILEEN

GUNTHER, CHAIR OF OUR MENTAL

HYGIENE COMMITTEE, ASSEMBLYMAN

CUSICK, AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN

JAFFEE, AND NOW OUR RANKER

ASSEMBLYMAN RA WILL INTRODUCE

THE MEMBERS OF HIS CONFERENCE.

>> THANK YOU.

WE'RE JOINED BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN

MILLER, OUR RANKING MEMBER ON

THE MENTAL HYGIENE COMMITTEE, AS

WELL AS ASSEMBLYWOMAN MARY BETH

WALSH.

>> GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO AFTER THE FINAL

QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PERIOD OF

THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVES, THERE WILL BE

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF

THE PUBLIC TO BRIEF EXPRESS

THEIR VIEWS ON THE PROPOSED

BUDGET UNDER DISCUSSION.

JUST SOME OF THE RULES OF THE

ROAD HERE, WE DISCOURAGE

PROPHECIES THAT INTERRUPT THE

FLOW OF THE HEARING -- PROTESTS

THAT INTERRUPT THE FLOAT

IF YOU LIKE SOMETHING THAT

YOU'RE HEARING AND YOU WANT TO

DO THIS, THAT'S FINE.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU'RE, OF

COURSE, WELCOME TO TESTIFY OR

LET US KNOW IN LOTS OF WAYS,

PREFERABLY NOT INTERRUPTING THE

FLOAT HEARING.

PLEASE PAY ESPECIALLY CLOSE

ATTENTION TO THE TIME CLOCKS IF

YOU ARE ONE OF THE PEOPLE

TESTIFYING.

CHAIRPERSONS -- EXCUSE ME.

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES HAVE

TEN MINUTES TO PRESENT.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE

FIVE MINUTES TO PRESENT FOR

BOTH.

PLEASE DON'T IMAGINE YOU'RE

GOING TO READ YOUR FULL

TESTIMONY.

IF YOU'RE SHOWING UP WITH MORE

THAN TWO PAGES OF TESTIMONY, YOU

WON'T GET THROUGH IT.

SO YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT

BULLET POINTING THE CRITICAL

ISSUES THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE

SURE WE KNOW ABOUT.

WE ARE ALL GETTING COPIES OF

EVERYONE'S TESTIMONY.

THE TESTIMONY IS GOING UP ONLINE

FOR ANYONE TO PULL UP AND READ

AND REVIEW.

THIS HEARING IS BEING

LIVE-STREAMED.

THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES

FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE EVEN IF

YOU'RE NOT HERE WITH US TODAY.

CHAIRPERSONS OF THE RELEVANT

COMMITTEES HAVE A TEN-MINUTE

ALLOTMENT FOR QUESTIONS AND

ANSWERS OF GOVERNMENTAL

WITNESSES.

ALL OTHER LEGISLATORS WHO ARE

MEMBERS OF THE RELEVANT

COMMITTEES RECEIVE JUST FIVE

MINUTES.

AND EXCEPT FOR THE RELEVANT

CHAIRS, THERE WILL BE NO SECOND

ROUND OF QUESTIONING.

RELEVANT CHAIRS CAN HAVE A

FIVE-MINUTE SECOND ROUND IF THEY

NEED IT.

ANY LEGISLATOR WHO FEELS THE

NEED TO ASK ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP

QUESTIONS BUT DOESN'T HAVE A

SECOND ROUND, PLEASE PRESENT

THEM TO EITHER HELENE WEINSTEIN,

MY CO-CHAIR, OR ME AND AT OUR

DISCRETION WE MAY ASK THOSE

QUESTIONS OF THE WITNESSES.

FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL WITNESSES,

ALL LEGISLATORS ONLY HAVE THREE

MINUTES TO ASK THE WITNESSES.

I THINK I'VE COVERED SORT OF THE

RULES OF THE ROAD.

OH, ONE MORE THING.

PLEASE WHEN YOU'RE TESTIFYING

SPEAK CAREFULLY INTO THE

MICROPHONE AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN

TO YOUR MOUTH.

WE DO NOT HAVE AN IDEAL SYSTEM,

AND ALSO FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE

UP HERE ON THE DAISES, IF YOU

ARE NOT SPEAKING INTO YOUR MIC,

PLEASE TURN IT OFF BECAUSE YOU

DON'T KNOW THAT THE MIC IS HOT

AND EVERYONE LISTENING IN ON

THEIR COMPUTERS, SOMEWHERE

OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM, IS HEARING

EVERYTHING EVERY ONE OF US SAYS,

SO IF YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO

SHARE THAT INFORMATION, MAKE

SURE YOUR MIC IS OFF BECAUSE YOU

WON'T REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

BUT PEOPLE TEXT IN AND CALL IN,

SAY, THAT WAS SO INTERESTING,

LIZ.

WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT TO

HELENE?

SO LET'S BE VERY CAREFUL.

ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO

INVITE UP COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN

FROM THE OFFICE OF MENTAL

HEALTH.

>> GOOD MORNING.

I'M DR. ANN SULLIVAN,

COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW YORK

STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

CHAIRS KRUEGER, WEINSTEIN,

CARLUCCI, GUNTHER AND MEMBERS OF

THE PERSPECTIVE COMMITTEES, I

WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE

INVITATION TO ADDRESS OMH'S 2021

PROPOSED BUDGET.

20-21.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE

LEGISLATURE FOR YOUR CONTINUED

SUPPORT OF REINVESTMENT FUNDING

WHICH EMPHASIZES PROVIDING CARE

IN COMMUNITY BASED SESSION.

SINCE 2014 WITH A COMMITMENT OF

MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN

ANNUALIZED INVESTMENTS TO DATE,

OMH HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE

SERVICES TO MORE THAN 70,000 NEW

INDIVIDUALS BRINGING THE TOTAL

TO OVER 800,000 PEOPLE SERVED IN

THE PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM.

EXAMPLES OF THE NEW COMMUNITY

SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED

ARE SUPPORTED HOUSING UNITS,

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT CRISIS

RESPITE BEDS, CLINIC PROGRAM

EXPANSION, ADDITIONAL ON TRACK

NEW YORK STEAMS, CRISIS

INTERVENTION TEAMS, COMMUNITY

TREATMENT OR ACT TEAMS AND LONG

STATE TRANSITION SUPPORT TEAMS.

BECAUSE THESE COMMUNITY SERVICES

TABLE, NEW YORKERS CAN GET THE

SUPPORT THEY NEED TO AVOID

HOSPITALIZATION, ACCESS

INPATIENT SERVICES ONLY WHEN

NEEDED AND LIVE SUCCESSFULLY IN

THEIR COMMUNITIES.

IN BUILDING ON THESE

INVESTMENTS, THE 20-21 EXECUTIVE

BUDGET RECOMMENDS SIGNATURE

VICTIMS INVESTMENTS FOR THE OMH

NOT-FOR-PROFIT WORKFORCE THIS.

THEIS YOU INVESTMENTS INCLUDE

RESOURCES TO LEVERAGE OVER

$40 MILLION IN NEW ANNUAL

FUNDING TO PROVIDE TARGETED

COMPENSATION INCREASES TO DIRECT

CARE, SUPPORT AND CLINICAL STAFF

AND TO SUPPORT PROVIDER COSTS

FOR MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES.

THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET INCREASES

SUPPORT FOR OMH HOUSING

INITIATIVES BY AN ADDITIONAL

$20 MILLION FOR EXISTING

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS.

SINCE 2015, OMH SUPPORT FOR

THESE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE

INCREASED BY $70 MILLION.

ADDITIONALLY, THE BUDGET

INCLUDES $60 MILLION IN CAPITAL

TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE

COMMUNITY BASED RESIDENCES.

THE BUDGET PROVIDERS AN

ADDITIONAL $12.5 MILLION FOR

CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN

TRANSITIONAL ADULT HOMES IN NEW

YORK CITY WHO WISH TO TRANSITION

TO MORE INTEGRATED SETTINGS IN

THE COMMUNITY.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PARITY REFORM

ENACTED LAST YEAR WILL ENHANCE

STATE OVERSIDE OF END SHIRES WO

AND REQUIRE THEM HAD TO APPLY

THE SAME TREATMENT AND FINANCIAL

RULES TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

SERVICES THAT ARE USED FOR

MEDICAL AND SURGICAL BENEFITS.

IMPORTANTLY, THIS NEW LAW

AUTHORIZES OMH TO REVIEW AND

APPROVE MEDICAL NECESSITY

CRITERIA USED BY PLANS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE CREATION OF

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OMBUDSMAN

PROGRAM OTHERWISE CALLED CHAMP

AND IF ENACT OF THE MENTAL

HEALTH SUBSTANCE USE PARITY

REPORT CAN ACT HAVE A ASSISTED

INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES

IN ACCESSES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

SERVICES.

CHAMP HAS HANDLED OVER 1600

CASES WHILE PROVIDING EDUCATION

TO AN ADDITIONAL 5,000

INDIVIDUAL FAMILY MEMBERS,

CAREGIVERS OR PROVIDERS.

IN OCTOBER 2015, NEW YORK STATE

WAS ONE OF 23 STATES AWARD AID

ONE-YEAR PLANNING GRANT, AP

IMPLEMENTATION INFANTRY TWO

YEARS LATER FROM THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT TO CREATE CERTIFIED

COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

CLINICS.

CCBHCs IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES

THROUGH INCREASING ACCESS TO

CARE, AVOIDING AVOIDABLE

HOSPITAL USE, PROVIDE BE

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITIES IN

UNDERSERVED AREAS WITH MORE

FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND

INTEGRATING MENTAL HEALTH,

SUBSTANCE USE AND PHYSICALS

HEALTH SERVICES.

OMH'S EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN

INCREASED ACCESS TO ENHANCED

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND

DECREASED NEED FOR ACUTE CARE

FOR BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL

HEALTH.

SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH

CLINICS ARE ANOTHER AREA WHERE

NEW YORK STATE CONTINUES TO

INCREASE ACCESS TO TREATMENT

BRIEFING SERVICES ON-SITE.

CURRENTLY THERE ARE 8O.6 SCHOOL

BASED MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS IN

NEW YORK STATE.

THREE YEARS AGO THERE WERE LESS

THAN 300 SUCH CLINICS.

SUICIDE PREVENTION CONTINUES TO

BE A PRIORITY ISSUE.

OMMH HAS PARTNERED WITH STATE

AGENCIES AND COMMUNITIES TO

IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM

ITS GOVERNOR'S SUICIDE

PREVENTION TASK FORCE.

THE TASK FORCE ALSO IDENTIFIED

GAPS IN STEW SIDE PREVENTION

EFFORTS AND MAIDS

RECOMMENDATIONS TO IDENTIFY AT

RISK POPULATIONS WHERE INCREASED

ENGAGEMENTS EFFORTS ARE NEEDED

INCLUDING LATINO YOUTH, THE

LGBTQ COMMUNITY, BLACK YOUTH,

VETERANS AND INDIVIDUALS LIVING

IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.

THE FY2021 SCUFF BUDGET INCLUDES

A PLAN TO TRANSFORM KINS BOROUGH

PC TWOS CAMPUS NIGH RECOVERY

HEALTH FACILITY SHORTING LENGTH

OF STATE AND CENTRALIZED

COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES

INCLUDE A STEP-DOWN TRANSITION

TO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS PROGRAM.

THIS TRANSITION IS CONSISTED

WITH OMH'S PATIENT CENTERED

APPROACH TO CARE WITH AN

EMPHASIS ON RESERVE.

FINALLY EM OMH'S GOAL IS TO

INPRIEST ACCESS TO SERVICES,

INTERVENING PRIOR TO THE NEED

FOR MORE INTENSIVE AND COSTLIER

CARE.

FOR THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO NEED

INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION, NEW

YORK STATE HAS THE HIGHEST IF

YOU WERE OF OF PSYCHIATRIC BEDS

PER CAPITA THAN ANYWHERE IN THE

NATION AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO

PRESERVE ACCESS TO CARE.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY

TO REPORT OUR ON EFFORTS TO

SUPPORT AND CONTINUE THE WORK WE

HAVE JOINTLY EMBARKED UPON TO

TRANSFORM NEW YORK'S MENTAL

HEALTH SYSTEM.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

FIRST UP, SENATOR DAVID

CARLUCCI.

>> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR, AND

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER

SULLIVAN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO

OUR COMMUNITY IN PROTECTING SOME

OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE

POPULATIONS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPOKEN A

LENGTH ABOUT MANY OF THE ISSUES

THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON.

I WANTED TO START OFF WITH OUR

COMMITMENT TOW OUR WORKFORCE,

AND -- TO OUR WORKFORCE AND

WE'VE SHARED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT

HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE

ELSE?

OUR WORKFORCE, THAT WE ENCOURAGE

THE LONGEVITY OUR STAFF, AND

THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T

HAVE THIS TRANSITION THAT WE

ARE CONSISTENTLY HAVING TO

RETRAIN AND ALSO WE'RE PROVIDING

A LACK OF SERVICE TO THE

INDIVIDUALS WE SERVE IF WE HAVE

THAT TRANSITION CONSISTENTLY.

LAST YEAR WE HAD A VICTORY IN

INCLUDING A 2% WAGE INCREASE

ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR HUMAN

SERVICE WORKERS.

WE FIND NOW, WE'RE HEARING FROM

SERVICE PROVIDERS, THEY TELL US

THAT THAT WAGE INCREASE HAS NOT

YET BEEN RELEASED.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT

JANUARY 1st.

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT?

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S SET TO

BE RELEASED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,

SO I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE.

I CAN'T SAY THAT TO YOU.

BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT

INFORMATION AFTERWARDS.

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER 2% INCREASE

IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AS WELL

WHICH WILL BE 2% AND THEN 4% FOR

DIRECT CARE WORKERS IN APRIL AND

ANOTHER 2% FOR CLINICAL CARE

WORKERS WITH SO THESE INCREASES

ARE VERY PRESIDENT OBAMA KNOW

THAT SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE A

DELAY BUT THEY ARE VERY REAL AND

THEY WILL HAPPEN.

ARE VERY REAL AND.

>> THANK YOU.

JUST TO GET INTO SOME OF THE

NUANCES OF THE BUDGET WE HAVE

WORKED TOGETHER ON SUICIDE

PREVENTION.

MY COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE, WE

PASSED A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT

PIECES OF LEGISLATION TO TRY TO

TACKLE THE INCREASES THAT WE

HAVE SEEN IN SUICIDE RATES

ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND ONE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR

THE RECENT REPORT THAT WAS PUT

OUT FROM OMH ON SUICIDE

PREVENTION.

WE PASSED THE LEGISLATION ON THE

BLACK YOUTH SUICIDE, AND I KNOW

YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH

DR. LINDSEY ON HOW WE INTEGRATE

AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING

SPECIFICALLY IN THAT AREA.

WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO GIVE US ANY

INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON

WITH THAT, WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO

AND WHAT WE CAN SEE IN THIS YEAR

IN TERMS OF OUTREACH TO BLACK

YOUTH COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE

BOARD ON SUICIDE PREVENTION?

>> SURE.

YES, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO

THANK THE LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS

FOR THEIR INTEREST AND FOR THEIR

COMMITMENT TO SUICIDE

PREVENTION.

I THINK EVERYONE WHO SPEAKS TO

THIS HELPS TO DECREASE THE

STIGMA AND HELPS TO BRING TO

EVERYONE'S ATTENTION THE

IMPORTANCE.

ON THE YOUTH SUICIDE WE HAVE HAD

COVERINGS WITH DR. LINDSEY WHO

IS TO NATIONAL EXPERT IN THIS

AREA.

IT'S A VERY TRAGIC FACT THAT

YOUNG BLACK YOUTH, THE AGES AS

EARLY AS TEN YEARS OLD, THERE'S

BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN

SUICIDE.

THEY PUBLISHED THROUGH HIS WORK,

A REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL

CAUCUS, CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS

WHICH OUTLINES A WHOLE SERIES

STEPS TO WORK HOW TO ADDRESS

THIS ISSUE.

THOSE STEPS INCLUDE THINGS LIKE

RESEARCH, ONE OF THE THINGS HE'S

LOOKING FOR.

OTHER THINGS, THOUGH, INCLUDE

WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES,

WORKING WITH FAITH-BASED

ORGANIZATIONS, AND DOING A GREAT

DEAL OF INTERVENTION IN SCHOOLS,

AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING

WITH DR. LINDSEY IS TARGETING

PARTICULAR AREAS.

WE HAVE THROUGH OUR DATABASES WE

CAN PCMH OUT PARTICULAR HOT

SPOTS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN A

NUMBER OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS OR

PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WITHIN

CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, AND WE'LL

BE DOING THAT IN THE BLACK YOUTH

INTEREST COMMUNITY, WE'LL BE

WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS IN

THOSE AREAS AND THE FAITH-BASE

DOLLARS ORGANIZATIONS, PARENTS

OUTREACH, CAMPAIGNS TO INCREASE

THE COMMUNITIES' AWARENESS AND

UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM.

AND WE'RE DOING A SIMILAR EFFORT

WITH OTHER GROUPS AS WELL.

IT'S GOING TO BE A SIMILAR

APPROACH WITH LATINO YOUTH.

WE HAVE DR. SILVA FROM ROCHESTER

WHO IS ASSISTING US WITH THAT

AND WE'RE DOING IT WITH WITH

RURAL PIRNS THERE'S A HIGHER

INCIDENCE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES,

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT

FOR VETERANS, LAW ENFORCEMENT

AND FOR DIRECT COMMUNITIES.

SO IN ADDITION TO THE OVERALL

SUICIDE APPROACH, WHICH IS

GENERALLY PUBLIC AWARENESS WHICH

CRUST A LOT OF TRAINING IN

SCHOOLS, OVER 25,000 TRAININGS

LAST YEAR, INDIVIDUALS WERE

TRAINED, WE ARE ALSO TARGETING

SPECIFIC LYKES COMMUNITIES, AND

WE WILL BE DOING THAT --

HIGH-RISK COMMUNITIES AND WE

WILL BE DOING THAT IN

CONJUNCTION WITH THE VARIOUS

COMMUNITY AGENCIES THAT WORK

WERE THOSE GROUPS, WITH THE

COUNTIES, WITH EVERYONE ELSE TO

ENSURE WE GET THE WORD OUT.

IT'S A MULTI-FACTOR PROBLEM,

SUICIDE.

AND THE OTHER AREA WE'RE

WORKING.

VERY INTENSELY WITH IS THE

PROVIDER BOTH ON THE HEALTH SIDE

AND MENTAL HEALTH SIDE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S AN

INITIATIVE NOW IN 9.

>> Senator Maziarz: ROOMS ACROSS

THE STATE TO DO BETTER FOLLOW-UP

AFTER SUICIDE.

>> I'M SORRY.

90 WHAT?

>> EMERGENCY ROOMS.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY ROOMS ACROSS

THE STATE TO DO IMPROVED

FOLLOW-UP AND TREATMENT OF

INDIVIDUALS WHO COME IN POST

SUICIDE ATTEMPT.

>> COULD YOU TOUCH ON -- WE WERE

REALLY EXCITED TO SEE IN THE

EXECUTIVE BUDGET $1 MILLION

DEDICATED TO SUICIDE PREVENTION

OR VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS,

LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WE HAVE SEEN A SPIKE

UNFORTUNATELY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

SUICIDE RATES.

COULD YOU TELL BUS HOW THAT

MONEY WILL BE UTILIZED.

>> WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF

PLANNING THAT.

I THINK -- FIRST OF ALL WEBSITES

VERY EXCITING TO HAVE THE

DOLLARS FOR -- IT'S VERY

EXCITING TO HAVE THE CAMPAIGN

FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION ANTI-STIG

LAW BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE

WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE

AGENCIES AND CONSPIRACY

RESPONDERS.

THEY KNOW BEST HOW TO WORK WITH

THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIERRY

FORCES SO WE'LL WORK WITH STATE

PLACE, THE NEW YORK CITY PD AND

WE'RE WORKING WITH ALL THE

VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, THE

STATE VERSIONS VETERAN

ORGANIZATIONS, AND I THINK

WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS WE

WILL A PLAN BUT WE REALLY NEED

TIN FUTURE OF THEIR GROUPS, THE

GROUPS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH

THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

WHEN YOU WORK WITH LAW

ENFORCEMENT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT

THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK WITH

THEM UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES OF

LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE

DOING SOME TRAINING OF STAFF SO

THAT INDIVIDUALS WILL BE

AVAILABLE FOR SERVICES.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES, TO

HAVE ENOUGH INDIVIDUALS WHO

UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES OF LAW

ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS

IN TREATING INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY

NEED TREATMENT IN ORDER TO

PREVENT SUICIDE.

>> THANK YOU.

AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING

EXTENSIVELY ON EATING DISORDER

ISSUES AND KNOWING THAT IF WE

PUT THE RIGHT POLICIES IN PLACE,

WE CAN HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE AND

DIAGNOSE THEM EARLY TO GET THE

TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.

AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A MOVE

FOR A TRANSFER OF THE

COMPREHENSIVE FROM FOR EATING

DISORDERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH TO THE OFFICE OF MENTAL

HEALTH.

COULD BRIEFLY TELL BUS THAT AND

TELL US -- TELL US ABOUT THAT

AND TELL US, WE'RE LOOKING FOR

THE REASSURANCE THALASSEMIA

PATIENTS PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE

AND NOT BE AT JEOPARDY NOW BEING

UNDER THE AUSPICE OF THE OFFICE

OF MENTAL HEALTH.

CAN YOU TELL US HAS THE MONEY

COME WITH IT FROM THE DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH?

WHAT SAFEGUARDS WILL BE IN PLACE

TO HAIK SURE THALASSEMIA

PATIENTS CONTINUES, NOT ONLY

CONTINUES BUT EXPANDS?

>> I THINK FIRST OF ALL IT'S A

GREAT NEED AND THERE'S A

COMMITMENT PART OF THE OFFICE OF

MENTAL HEALTH TO ENSURE THAT IT.

IN TERMS OF THE DOLLARS, WITH

118,000 THAT WAS IN THE

EXECUTIVE BUDGET IS COMING WITH

IT.

THE OTHER $1 MILLION WHICH

TRADITIONALLY HAS SPORTED THESE

EATING DISORDER SPECIALTY

CENTERS AND THERE ARE THREE

ACROSS THE STATE, HAS BEEN A

LEGISLATIVE ADD IN EACH YEAR.

SO THAT -- TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT

AGENCY THAN THE OFFICE OF OMH.

SO THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS GOING

ON RIGHT NOW ABOUT THAT

ADDITIONAL ADD WHICH HAS BEEN

THERE OVER TIME TO SUPPORT THESE

CENTERS.

THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

THERE'LL ARE THE PLACES, AND THE

THREE PLACES IS ROCHESTER, IT'S

THE CITY OF COLUMBIA, IT'S IN

THE ALBANY AREA WHERE PEOPLE GO

FOR THE EXPERT HELP THAT THEY

NEED FOR THE MAJOR EATING

DISORDERS.

THEY ALSO DO A LOT OF OUTREACH

FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION IN

TERMS OF OBESITY AND OTHER

ISSUES.

SO THERE'S A GREAT COMMITMENT TO

CONTINUE THESE.

THERE IS THE QUESTION OF THE

MONEY WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED I

THINK OVER THE BUDGET

NEGOTIATIONS.

>> IT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY

CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE THERE IS

THAT $1 MILLION REDUCTION AND

NOW IT'S COMING FROM THE

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO OMH SO

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO

HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY ON.

I'M HOPEFUL THAT POSSIBLY THE

GOVERNOR IN HIS 30-DAY

AMENDMENTS WILL INCLUDE THAT

$1 MILLION IN THE OMH BUDGET TO

MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T FALL OFF

THE TABLE.

ABOUT BUT I KNOW OUR TIME ISALK

LIMITED.

WE TALK ABOUT IN OUR YOUR

OPENING STATEMENT THE TRANS

PARISHION ADULT HOMES TO

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

THERE'S MONEY IN THERE FOR NEW

YORK CITY.

HOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE STATE

AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR SAID IN

HIS STATE THE STATE, THE

COMMITMENT TOWARD SUPPORTIVE

HOUSING, WE ARE CAN WE POINT TO

IN THE BUDGET THAT SHOWS US

WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE TO BUILD

THE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THAT WE

NEED?

>> THERE ARE POINTS IN THE

BUDGET, I THINK IT'S A TOTAL OF

$12.5 MILLION WHICH IS GOING FOR

THE ADULT HOME IN THE CITY.

THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL 1200

UNITS IN THE BUDGET, NOT

INCLUDING THOSE 500, THAT ARE

GOING TO BE OPENING UP AS PART

OF THE PIPELINE FOR THE REST OF

THE STATE.

THOSE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS

THE STATE.

AND BASICALLY THAT INCLUDES A

COMBINATION OF FUNDING FROM THE

E SHY, TEM SPIRE STATE, IT

INCLUDES FUNDING FROM, THE

EMPIRE STATE, FUNDING FROM THE

OLD NEW YORK, NEW YORK 3

SO THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET THERE

ARE HINE ITEMS WHICH TALK TO THE

AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT ARE THER.

BUT IT WILL -- MAYBE I MISSPOKE.

I THINK THE 500 ARE IN THERE SO

TOYOTAS A COMMITMENT OF 1200

INCLUDING THE 500.

YES.

INCLUDING THE 500 ADULT HOME

SLOTS.

BUT THE OTHER 700 WE DISTRIBUTED

ACROSS THE STATE IN VARIOUS

AREAS.

WHAT WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE

WITH ALL THE HOUSING THAT HAS

COME UP, BASICALLY WE LOOK AT

AREAS WHERE IT'S NEEDED.

WE GET DEVELOPERS WHOY HOPEFULLY

CAN PUT UP THE HOUSING.

ALSO LAST YEAR WE HAD AN

ADDITIONAL 250 SLOTS FOR

A NUMBER OF THOSE SLOTS FOR

APARTMENTS.

A NUMBER OF THOSE WERE UPSTATE.

IN FACT, A GOOD NUMBER OF THOSE

WERE ALSO UPUPSTATE.

SEE SO WRY TO DISTRIBUTES AS

BEST WE CAN THE HOUSING ACROSS

THE STATE, AND IT'S LINE ITEM

OUT IN THE BUDGET UNDER THE

HOUSING SECTIONS.

>> AS FAR AS OMH HOW MANY

HOUSING UNITS DO YOU BELIEVE WE

WILL HAVE?

>> THERE ARE 1200 NEW ONES THIS

YEAR.

THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 1200

LAST YEAR FOR OMH.

THAT INCLUDES THE ADOPTION

ALLOWS AND E SHY AND THE NEW

YORK, NEW YORK 3.

THE TOTAL IS 47,000 WHICH IS

REALLY GREAT, PROBABLY -- NOT

PROBABLY -- IT IS THE LARGEST

COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE SERIOUS

MENTALLY ILL.

>> I SEE I'M OUT OF TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

SIMPLY THANK YOU.

WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY

ASSEMBLYWOMAN FAHY, ASSEMBLYMAN

SANTABARBARA AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN

FERNANDEZ AND WE NOW TO GO OUR

MENTAL HEALTH CHAIR

ASSEMBLYWOMAN GUNTHER.

>> AND I ALSO FORGOT TO

INTRODUCE SENATOR SUE SERINO AND

SENATOR ASHQAR WHO HAVE BOTH

JOINED US.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY,

COMMISSIONER.

I WANTED TO START OFF REGARDING

THE FUNDING CRISIS FOR OUR

MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO

INCREASE FOR DIRECT SUPPORT

PROFESSIONALS, HOWEVER, THE

INCREASE WILL STILL BE BELOW THE

RATE OF INFLATION AND MENTAL

HEALTH CLINGS ONLY RECEIVE 2%

BEGINNING APRIL 1st.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR THE

MENTIONED AND DISABILITY

COMMUNITY IS UNITED AROUND A 3%

INCREASE OVER FIVE YEARS.

WE HAVE BEEN SEEING RAISES IN

OTHER SECTORS OF HEALTH CARE.

WE ARE LOSING OUR WORKERS IN

THIS SYSTEM LEFT AND RIGHT, AS

YOU WELL KNOW.

WE KNOW THAT THE TURNOVER IN THE

DSP COMMUNITY IS TREMENDOUS.

AND AS A NURSE MYSELF, AND WE

REALIZE THAT THESE DSPs, THEY

CREATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR

PATIENTS AND THEIR LOSS IS A

LOSS TO THE PATIENT.

MY QUESTION TO YOU, THEN, WHAT

CAN WE DO TO IMPRESS UPON THE

SECOND FLOOR THAT THESE RAISES

ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED.

>> THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE A 2%

INCREASE FOR DIRECT CARE WORKERS

AS OF JANUARY AND IT DOES A

ANOTHER 2% IN APRIL AND ALSO IN

APRIL FOR CLINICAL CARE WORKERS.

THAT'S SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR.

THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT

WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE IN THE

BUDGET THIS YEAR.

I THINK $25 MILLION TO THE

OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH

INCLUDING THE MINIMUM WAGE

INCREASES, AND BASICALLY IT DOES

HELP SIGNIFICANTLY, I THINK, TO

SUPPORT IN SOME WAYS.

THERE'S ALWAYS A QUESTION

WHETHER MORE IS NEEDED, BUT I DO

THINK THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT

CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORKFORCE ON

THE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE, AND WHEN

YOU ADD IN THE -- IT'S

$40 MILLION WHEN YOU ADD IN THE

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FEDERAL SHARE

AND THE ANNUALIZATION OF THE

DOLLARS.

SO THAT'S VERY REAL.

IT'S IN THE BUDGET AND WILL IT

HAPPEN THIS YEAR.

IT'S BEEN OVER FIVE% A 14%

INCREASE FOR DIRECT CARE

WORKERS.

>> I THINK IT'S MUCH NEEDED BUT

I WILL SAY MOST OF THE WORKFORCE

ARE WOMEN AND HONESTLY TO HAVE

AN APARTMENT IT'S REALLY NOT A

LIVING WAGE.

I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE THE

DELIVERY OF CARE TO PEOPLE WITH

DISABILITIES, MOST OF OUR

EMPLOYEES ARE CONNECTED WITH

THOSE KINDS OF JOBS, MOSTLY

WOMEN.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH

DAYCARE AND ALSO TO GET AN

APARTMENT, FEED YOUR CHILDREN,

IT'S JUST NOT A LIVING WAGE.

IT'S JUST NOT.

AND WE LAGGED BEHIND FOR YEARS

AND YEARS BEFORE.

WE'RE DOING SOME CATCH-UP BUT WE

REALLY HAVE TO DO MORE.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ON THE

SAME PAGE, BUT I'M HOPING THAT

THE SECOND FLOOR WILL TAKE A

LOOK AT IT, AND RATHER THAN --

THIS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,

MAKING SURE THAT THESE DOORS

STAY OPEN, SO RATHER THAN INVEST

IN NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,

KEEP WHAT WE HAVE.

MY PIECE.

A RECENT STUDY BY THE COUNCILLOR

OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS SHOW

THAT MORE THAN TWO-THIRD OF

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT

THAT IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES ARE THEIR TOP PRIORITY

P I KNOW OMH HAS DONE A GOOD JOB

OF EXPANDING SATELLITE OFFICES

IN SCHOOLS BUT I'M WONDERING WHY

THE EXECUTIVE WOULD DECLINE TO

CONTINUE THE ENHANCED RATES FOR

CHILDREN, CHILDREN'S BEHAVIORAL

RATE PROVIDERS.

>> THE ENHANCED RATE, THE RATES

WERE SET AND THERE WERE START UP

RATES INITIALLY FOR SIX MONTHS,

25%, THEN GOING DOWN TO 12.5%,

AND IT WAS ALWAYS KNOWN THAT

BASICALLY THOSE START-UP RATES

WOULD END AND THE START-UP RATE

DATE FOR THE START-UP RATES TO

END WAS JANUARY 1st.

SO, YES, THOSE START-UP RATES

HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED, THE

INCREASE.

HOWEVER, THE LONG-TERM

COMMITMENT TO THE EXPANSION,

WHICH IS CONSIDERABLE BECAUSE

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT

THESE SERVICES WERE DESIGNED TO

EXPAND SERVICES TO YOUTH, AND

BASICALLY BEFORE THE

LEGISLATION, BEFORE THIS CHANGE

IN SERVICES, YOUTH HAD TO BE --

IT ALMOST FAILED FIRST TO GET

THESE SERVICES.

SO BASICALLY THE REDESIGN HAS

ENABLED YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO

GET THE SERVICES SOONER AND FOR

MORE TO GET THOSE SERVICES.

SO THE END RESULT AFTER THESE

SERVICES ARE UP AND RUNNING OVER

TIME IS AN EXPECTATION THAT

THERE WILL BE A CONSIDERABLE

INCREASE IN SERVICES FOR KIDS

AND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF

MONEY SPENT ON THOSE SERVICES.

SO THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.

THAT COMMITMENT IS STILL THERE.

EVEN THOUGH THE START-UP

DOLLARS, YES, HAVE BEEN DIGS

CONTINUED AS OF JANUARY 1st.

>> THANK YOU.

DID DISCONTINUED AS OF

JANUARY 1st.

>> ACCORDING TO THE UNITED

STATES INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON

HOMELESSNESS, NEW YORK STATE HAS

MORE THAN 90,000 PEOPLE

EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

THAT'S ROUGHLY THREE TIMES THAT

OF FLORIDA, A STATE THAT IS

ABOUT 2 MILLION MORE PEOPLE THAN

US.

GRANTED, NOT EVERY PERSON WHO IS

HOMELESS HAS MENTAL ILLNESS BUT

WE KNOW MANY DO.

MOST AREN'T LOGGING ONTO OMH

WEBSITE OR CALLING THE FIELD

OFFICE TO LOOK FOR SERVICE.

HOW CAN WE BETTER REACH THESE

FOLKS?

>> WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF

OUTREACH IN TERMS OF JUST FOR

NEW YORK CITY AS AN EXAMPLE.

>> EXPLAIN -- SO THERE'S TWO

THINGS I WANT TO KNOW.

EXPLAIN WHAT WE MEAN BY WHAT

OUTREACH AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT,

NUMBER ONE, AND NEW YORK CITY IS

ONE AREA.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT

LOW-INCOME AREAS IN THE MIDDLE

OF THE STATE AND OTHER AREAS, SO

WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO BE

TUNNEL VISION ON NEW YORK CITY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT.

>> I KNOW, BUT I JUST HAVE TO

SAY THAT.

A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT A

NEW YORK CITY.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT.

THE ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S

VARIOUS -- WELL, IT'S --

OBVIOUSLY SHINES COMPLICATED

ISSUES.

FOR THE SERIOUSLY MENTAL I WILL

ILL, THE GROUP THAT PEOPLE OFTEN

SEE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON

THE STREETS, AND THEY ARE ON THE

STREETS IN MANY WAYS AND

HOMELESS NOT IN GREAT SITUATIONS

THROUGHOUT THE STATE, NOT JUST

IN NEW YORK CITY.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE

HAVE DONE.

ONE IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH

TEAMS THROUGH COUNTY AID TO MANY

OF THE COUNTIES AS WELL AS THE

CITY.

THAT COUNTY AID GOES TO HOMELESS

OUTREACH TEAM.

THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN

OUT TO WORK WITH THE SERIOUSLY

MENTAL ILL ON THE STREETS TO GET

THEM TO ACCEPT SERVICES, AND FOR

A VARIETY OF REASONS SOMETIMES

IT'S THE WAY THEY TSE WORLD,

IT'S SOMETIMES WHERE THEY WANT

TO LIVE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO

ENGAGE SOME OF THESE

INDIVIDUALS.

SO WE DO SPEND A FAIR AMOUNT,

OVER $10 MILLION, $12 MILLION

ACROSS THE STATE TO WORK ON

THESE OUTREACH TEAMS WHICH WE

FUND THROUGH COUNTY, AND A WE

MONITOR THAT.

THE SECONDARY IS WORKING IN THE

VARIOUS SHELTER SYSTEMS TO THE

EXTENT THAT THEY CAN BE SAVE E.

SUCH A HAVENS IS ONE NAME THAT

WE HAVE FOR SOME OF THESE AND WE

DO A LOT OF THAT WORK AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE ACT TEAMS THAT WE

HAVE FUND TODAY WORK WITH THE

HOMELESS AND THEY HELP THE

HOMELESS TRANSITION FROM THESE

SAFE HAVEN SHELTERS INTO

APARTMENTS AND GIVE THEM THE

KIND OF WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS THAT

THEY NEED.

SO THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE FOUND

SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY HOMELESS

AND ON THE STREETS.

BUT THE BIGGER PIECE OF THIS IS

NOT TO GET PEOPLE HOMELESS ON

THE STREETS AND TO HELP PROVIDE

THE SERVICES THAT PREVENT THAT

FROM HAPPENING, AND THAT WE'VE

BEEN WORKING VERY VERY

DILIGENTLY WITH THE CRISIS

STABILIZATION CENTERS, CRISIS

SERVICES, INCREASING OUTPATIENT

SERVICES, WORKING WITH INCREASED

DILIGENCE ON DISCHARGE PLANNING

WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THE HOSPITALS

SO THEY DON'T GET TO THE POINT

WHERE THEY HAVE DECIDED AT SOME

LEVEL THAT THEIR HOME IS ON THE

STREETS.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS

THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN.

THE PRE-SERVICES TO MAKE SURE

PEOPLE DON'T BECOME HOMELESS,

AND THEN IF THEY DO, ESPECIALLY

IF THEY HAVE TROUBLE ACCEPTING

SERVICES.

AND THE WIGGEST PART OF HELPING

PEOPLE ACCEPT SERVICES IS TRUST

AND ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECTION,

AND THAT TAKES TIME, AND THAT'S

WHY WE FUND THESE OUTREACH TEAMS

THAT GET TO KNOW THE INDIVIDUALS

WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS AND

REALLY WORK INTENSIVELY WITH

THEM.

>> HOW IS THE $12 MILLION

DISTRIBUTED?

>> THERE'S ABOUT -- I THINK IT'S

ABOUT $9 MILLION TO THE CITY AND

THEN THERE'S ANOTHER SERIES OF

DOLLARS WHICH GO TO THE

COUNTIES.

I COULD GET YOU THE EXACT

DOLLARS FOR THAT.

>> SO THERE'S $9 MILLION TO NEW

YORK CITY, BUT THAT'S HALF THE

POPULATION OF NEW YORK STATE,

AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE

POPULATION GETS $3 MILLION?

IF IT'S $12 MILLION.

>> IT'S APPROXIMATELY WHAT IT IS

THROUGH COUNTY AID.

DEPENDS ON THE COUNTIES EXPO

IT'S DISTRIBUTED.

AND HOW IT'S

DISTRIBUTED.

AGAIN THERE ARE OUTREACH TEAMS

AND THERE ARE HOUSING AND THE

OTHER BIG PIECE WE HAVE

DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE STATE IN

HOUSING, UPSTATE GETS

APPROXIMATELY HALF THE INCREASES

OF THE HOUSING THAT WE DO IN

TERMS OF AT THE TIME OF STIPENDS

AND ET CETERA.

THAT PREVENTS THE HOMELESSNESS

AS WELL.

THE THE HOUSING, AND IT ALSO

DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF STREET

PEOPLE IN EACH PARTICULAR COUNTY

SO YOU THE CAN VARY FROM COUNTY

TO COUNTY DEPENDING ON THE

NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE STREETS.

BUT THE HOUSING IS DISTRIBUTED

ACROSS THE STATE, AND THAT'S

PRETTY MUCH DISTRIBUTED BY

POPULATION BASE IN THE VARIOUS

COUNTIES.

WE ARE SPENDING A TREMENDOUS

AMOUNT OF MONEY IN UPSTATE

HOUSING OUR HOMELESS IN HOTEL

ROOMS FOR BIG DOLLARS, SO MUCH

MORE THAN IF THEY HAD STABILIZED

HOUSING, AND ALSO THEIR HEALTH

ISN'T GOOD, MENTAL HEALTH ISN'T

GOOD, AND SO TO ME IF WE COULD

LOOK AT THAT IN TERMS OF MONEY

SAVING AND HEALTHIER PEOPLE

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I REPRESENT

SULLIVAN ORANGE COUNTY.

MOST OF MY HOMELESS POPULATION

ARE IN LESS THAN ADEQUATE,

HORRIBLE HOTELS BECAUSE WHEN

SOMEONE IS CONSIDERED HOMELESS,

THEY HAVE THIS IDEA IN THEIR

HEAD THAT THEY'RE LIKE BAD

PEOPLE, SO CERTAIN HOTELS WON'T

TAKE THOSE FOLKS OR FOR THAT

RATE THAT THE COUNTY GIVES THEM.

SO I THINK WE COULD DO A LOT

BETTER AND A LOT MORE IF WE

REALLY PROVIDED STABLE, MORE

STABILIZED HOUSING, NOT ONLY IN

NEW YORK CITY BUT IN UPSTATE NEW

YORK, YOU HAVE BUFFALO, YOU HAVE

SYRACUSE, AND WE HAVE IT ALL.

WE ALL SHARE PART OF THAT

POPULATION.

>> THANK YOU.

WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY ASSEMBLYMAN

FALL, THE SENATE NOW.

>> THANK YOU 1 SENATOR PETE

HASHING AM.

>> THANK HASHING

AM.

>> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.

COMMISSIONER, GOOD TOW SEE YOU

AS ALWAYS.

I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR

YOU, AND MY WORKS A CHAIR OF

ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

WITH COLLEAGUES UP HERE WE JUST

TOURED THE STATE FOCUSED ON THE

OPIOID CRISIS, AND SO MUCH OF IT

AND THE SCIENCE NOW TIES IT WITH

CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS, THE

NEXUS OF MENTAL HEALTH WITH

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, THE

NOTION OF SELF-MEDICATION.

AND I KNOW YOU AND OASAS HAVE

BEEN WORKING CLOSELY ON THE

BLENDED LICENSE, WHICH IS A

STEP, A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT

DIRECTION.

UB BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

WE'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE, BOTH

FROM PROVIDERS AND FROM PATIENTS

ALL ACROSS THE STATE, IS THERE

ARE STILL OBJECT TACKLES WITH

BILLING AND PAYING, THAT THEY

CAN NOW GO TO ONE TREATMENT

CENTER BUT THEY ARE STILL

TREATED DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF

THE BILLING STREAM.

SO THERE'S SEEING UP HERE FOR

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS ONE

BILL, SEEING A MENTAL HEALTH

COUNSELOR IS ANOTHER BILL,

SEEING A PSYCHOLOGIST IS ONE

BILL, SEEING A CASE IS ANOTHER.

WE'RE STILL NOT ADDRESSING THE

BLEND PERSON WITH HOLISTIC

TREATMENT AND REALLY ONE BILL.

WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT?

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

HOW CLOSE ARE WE?

AND ARE THERE THINGS THAT THE

LEGISLATIVE BODY CAN DO TO BE

HELPFUL?

>> I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY

LOOKING AT THAT.

NOW, I THINK, I BELIEVE THAT THE

COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

CENTERS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED

ARE EASIER IN THAT RESPECT THAN

SOME OF OUR OTHER ARTICLE 31

PROVIDERS IN TERMS OF THE EASE

WITH WHICH THE BILLING OCCURS

FOR THE CLIENT, FOR THEM TO

EXPERIENCE IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE MODEL

THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO USE

TO EXPAND TO THE OTHER SITES.

I THINK THAT IN SOME OF THE

SITES IT'S GOTTEN A BIT BETTER,

BUT, YES, WE HAVE TO WORK.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF WORKING

WITH COMMERCIAL INSURERS

DEPENDING UPON WHAT THEIR

DESIRES ARE, THEN WORK CAN WITH

MANAGED CARE THROUGH MEDICAID.

SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET

ALL THE BILLS STRAIGHT.

WE WORK A LOT WITH THE PROVIDERS

ABOUT THAT.

SO YOU'RE RIGHT, WE SHOULD BE

WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S

KIND OF SEAMLESS FOR THE CLIENT.

I REALIZE THAT'S WHERE WE GET

INTO TROUBLE HERE SO THE CLIENTS

GET BILLED.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT

BUT IF CCHBs HAVE BEEN ABLE TO

DO THIS IN A MORE SEAMLESS WAY

AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO USE

THAT MOL TO HELP SOME OF THE

OTHER CENTERS AS WELL.

SOMETIMES WHICH CAN BE

DIFFICULTIES WITH GETTING THE

BILLS ORGANIZED FROM MULTIPLE

PROVIDERS AND MULTIPLE INSURERS.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.

>> ASSEMBLY.

WE GO TO ASSEMBLYWOMAN MILLER.

>> GOOD MORNING.

SO I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING THE

VOICE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE

QUIETEST VOICES.

A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'M

ASKING HAVE COME DIRECTLY FROM

THOSE VOICES, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN

MY DISTRICT OR SURROUNDING

DISTRICTS WHO HAVE SERIOUS

CONCERNS AND HAVE ASKED ME TO

SHARE.

ON LONG ISLAND THIS PAST WEEK

THERE WAS A CEREMONY FOR THE

OPENING OF A MENTAL HEALTH

CLINIC IN ROCKVILLE CENTER.

IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN

CONES MEDICAL HOSPITAL AND FIVE

LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THE CLINIC WILL PROVIDE

EMERGENCY MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES, LIKE ACUTELY THAT DAY,

UNTIL A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER CAN

BE LOCATED FOR LONG-TERM

SERVICES.

IT'S NEEDED AND IT SOUND GREAT.

WHAT WE'RE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING IS

THAT THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE

THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF HEALTH

CARE PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE

AVAILABILITY IN THE FIRST PLACE

TO SEE THESE PATIENTS.

BECAUSE MOST MENTAL HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS, AS THE LEAST ON

LONG ISLAND, DON'T ACCEPT CON

ARTISTS EVER INSURANCE, THE FEW

THAT DO -- ARE COMPLETELY

BOOKED.

IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO

FIND A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER

WHO TAKES INSURANCE THAT COULD

FIT IN A NEW PATIENT IMMEDIATELY

AND PROVIDE THE AVAILABILITY

THAT'S NEEDED MORE THAN ONCE A

WEEK WHEN FIRST TREATING A

PARENT FOR A PERSON IN CRISIS.

HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS

EVALUATE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TO SEE IF

THEY'RE A CHANGER TO THAMES

THEMSELVES OR NO, IF NOT AS THEY

GET REFERRED TO LONG-TERM

SERVICES PROVIDERS WHO CAN'T

TAKE THEM.

THE CLINICS, WHICH ARE LAB BE

CONTRACT RACES BETWEEN CONES AND

SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ARE NEEDED

BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLACE FOR

THESE PATRICIA PATIENTS WITH

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TO GET THE

IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BY MEDICAL

PROFESSIONALS.

BUT THIS COLLABORATION IS

COSTING EACH OF THESE SCHOOL

DISTRICTS $55,000.

WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL

DISTRICT BUDGETS CANNOT SUSTAIN

THIS, AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE

TO.

THERE ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT

ARE IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS.

IS IT FAIR THAT THE DISTRICTS

THAT CAN SQUEEZE IT OUT OF THEIR

BUDGET WILL HAVE THAT AND THE

SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT CAN'T

AFFORD IT SHOULDN'T?

SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND

$55,000 ANNUALLY TO A HOSPITAL

FOR IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO MENTAL

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FOR ITS

STUDENTS.

IT SHOULD BE DONE AUTOMATICALLY

VIA OUR INSURANCE PROVIDERS OR

MEDICAID.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS

CONTINUOUS PROBLEM THAT

CURRENTLY EXISTS WHERE THE

MAJORITY OF MENTAL HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS DON'T ACCEPT

INSURANCE?

THERE ARE MONTHS LONG WAITING

PERIODS TO GET AN INITIAL

APPOINTMENT, AND THEY DON'T

ACCEPT THE INSURANCE OR

MEDICAID.

IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A

PLAN THAT DOES ALLOW

OUT-OF-NETWORK COVERAGE WITH

MAYBE YOU CAN GET A PERCENTAGE

OF THAT VISIT REIMBURSED.

IT'S A VERY REAL OBSTACLE TO

SEEKING AND RECEIVING TREATMENT.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE

EXPERIENCED THIS FIRSTHAND

MYSELF WITH BOTH MY DAUGHTER WHO

EXPERIENCES ANXIETY AND MY MOM

WHO HAS ALZHEIMER'S.

WHEN MY DAUGHTER BEGAN HAVING

PANIC ATTACKS, WE COULD NOT

FINDS A PSYCHIATRIST WHO COULD

SEE HER FOR THREE MONTHS.

WE FINALLY WOUND TAKING HER HAD

TO CRISIS CENTER WHO PRESCRIBED

A MEDICATION THAT MADE HER FEEL

WORSE AND RECOMMENDED THERAPIST

FOR LONG TERM WHO ALSO DIDN'T

ACCEPT INSURANCE AND HAD WAIT

LISTS.

FOR MY MOTHER, I'M DESPERATELY

TRYING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW TO

FIND A PSYCHIATRIST.

MY MOTHER WHO WAS HERSELF A

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST IS VERY

DEPRESSED AND FRUSTRATED BY NOT

BEING ABLE TO REMEMBER ANYTHING

ABOUT LOSING HER INDEPENDENCE.

I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY

DOCTORS I HAVE CALLED.

I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH

THESE PSYCHIATRISTS WHO

ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AND

THEY CAN'T SCHEDULE AN

APPOINTMENT FOR ANOTHER TWO TO

FOUR MONTHS.

WHEN I ASK WHAT TO DO IF SHE'S

HAVING TROUBLE NOW, I WAS TOLD

TO BRING HER TO A CRISIS CENTER.

WE ARE FORCING PEOPLE INTO

CRISIS BY NOT HAVING THE

MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO HELP THEM

BEFORE THEY'RE IN CHRISTS.

HOW DO IN CRISIS?

HOW DO WE NOT SEE THAT?

IT'S CERTAINLY EVIDENT IN OUR

YOUTH SO HOW CAN WE START TO FIX

THIS?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I'M SORRY YOU

HAVE HAD THAT KIND OF DIFFICULTY

WITH YOUR FAMILY, AND I'M SORRY

FOR ALL THE FAMILIES THAT DO.

THERE'S A CRITICAL ISSUE HERE

THAT I THINK HAS TO BE FACED,

AND THE MAJOR ONE HAS TO DO WITH

COMMERCIAL COVERAGE FOR MENTAL

HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE.

THERE'S A MAJOR PROBLEM HERE.

AND IT'S A PARITY ISSUE.

AND FOR A LONG TIME COMMERCIAL

INSURERS HAVE NOT BEEN COVERING

THE KINDS OF SERVICES ON

COVERING THEM WITH ITS REIMBURSE

TOMATO EXTEND THAT THE NEEDED TO

HAVE WORKFORCE WILLING TO TAKE

INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE

INSURANCE==.

WHILE MEDICAID SYSTEM IS NOT

PERFECT, THERE IS MORE ACCESS

AND MORE AVAILABILITY THROUGH

MEDICAID TO GET MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES OFTEN THAN THROUGH

INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK AND HAVE

PRIVATE INSURANCE.

THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR

DECADES.

WHAT THE STATE IS DOING, I

THINK, IS REMARKABLE IN TERMS OF

ITS EFFORTS AT THIS POINT IN

TERMS OF PARITY.

THE PARITY, WHILE IT WILL TAKE A

LITTLE MORE TIME TO GET THIS TO

WORK, BUT OVER THEAS PAST TWO

YEARS THE STATE HAS MADE A

MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN PARITY,

AND WE ARE GETTING MEDICAL

NECESSITY CRITERIA THAT WILL BE

REVIEWED BY THE OAFS OF MENTAL

HEALTH.

WE'RE LOOKING AT NETWORKS.

OFTEN NETWORKS CAN BE PHANTOM

NETWORK WHICH MEANS YOU LOOK AT

YOUR INSURER, THEY LIST 20

PSYCHIATRISTS AND YOU CALL THEM

UP AND THEY CAN'T SEE YOU, THEY

DON'T HAVE THE TIME.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH INTENSIVE

WORK ON THE PARITY SIDE.

THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT PARITY

IS THE THERE'S A LAW BUT THE LAW

HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER TEN, 12

YEARS, BUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF IT

HAS BEEN TUSH, AND THE MONEY IN

LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WILL BE

CONTINUED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET

IS THE MONEY TO DO THAT KIND OF

ENFORCEMENT.

>> WE CANNOT FORCE A PHYSICIAN

TO JOIN A PLAN.

>> THERE ARE PHYSICIANS

SOMETIMES IN THE PLANS BUT THEY

DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.

Y YOU CAN FORCE THE PLANS TO PAY

MUFF TO GET PHYSICIANS IN THEIR

PLAN.

THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, TO

HAVE PHYSICIANS AVAILABLE.

WHEN YOU PAY YOUR HEALTH

INSURANCE AND YOU WANT A

CARDIOLOGIST WITH YOU SHOULD BE

ABLE TO GET A CARDIOLOGIST, AND

IF YOU'RE IN A HEALTH PLAN AND

YOU WANT A PSYCHIATRIST, YOU

SHOULD ABLE TO GET A

PSYCHIATRIST.

ACTUALLY, THE OWN US ON HAVING

THE NETWORK THAT CAN PROVIDE

THOSE WITH THE INSURER, AND

THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.

FOR DECADES MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES HAVE BEEN UNDERFINANCED

BY THOSE INSURERS, AND THAT'S

WHAT HAS TO CHANGE, AND YOU HAVE

TO LOOK AT THE PARITY LAWS WHICH

SAY HOW DO YOU DETERMINE HOW YOU

ALLOCATE YOUR MONEY?

HOW MUCH COULD YOU USE FOR

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, WHAT

DO YOU USE FOR OTHERS, AND HOW

DO YOU ENSURE THAT

INDIVIDUALS -- WHEN YOU HOOK

ACROSS THE COUNTRY THE OUT

OF-NETWORK USE FOR MENTAL HEALTH

ELLIS ILLNESSES IS SIGNIFICANTLY

HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER SERVICE.

WHY?

>> I WANT YOU TO JUST FINISH

YOUR SENTENCE.

>> BECAUSE COMPLICITY THE NET

WORSE, NOT WELL-ESTABLISHED BY

THE INSURESSERS AND, THAT

SOMETHING THE WORK IS WORKING

VERY HARD ON WITH PARITY.

WE HOPE IT WILL.

THANK YOU.

SENATE.

>> THANK YOU.

WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY

SENATOR BETTY LITTLE AND NEXT UP

ON DECK SENATOR JIM SEWARD.

>> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR AND

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR

BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR

COMMITMENT TO SOME OF THE MOST

VULNERABLE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK

AND PROVIDING SERVICES.

I WANTED TO IDENTIFY MYSELF WITH

SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF MY

COLLEAGUES ALREADY THIS MORNING

IN TERMS OF THE SALARY LEVELS

FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE

FRONTLINES, OUR DIRECT CARE

WORKERS AND STAFF OF OUR

NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES WHO

PROVIDE YEOMAN'S WORK ON BEHALF

OF THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF

SERVICES, AND YET THEIR SALARIES

LAG.

I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED SOME OF

THE EFFORTS TO TRY TO BRING THEM

UP.

OF COURSE, THE LEGISLATURE HAS

MADE A MAJOR COMMITMENT THERE AS

WELL.

I WANTED YOU ASK YOU TO COMMENT

ON THE EXECUTIVE'S JUSTIFICATION

FOR CONTINUING THE COLA DEFERRAL

FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN NOT

RESTORING THAT IN THE EXECUTIVE

BUDGET.

>> THE EXECUTIVE HAS INTRODUCED

THE 2% TARGETED SALARY INCREASES

WHICH OCCUR FOR DIRECT CARE

SUPPORTER WORKERS IN JANUARY AND

THEN WILL OCCUR AGAIN IN APRIL

AT 4%.

THOSE INCREASES ARE IN THE

BUDGET AND ARE THERE.

THAT WAS IN LIEU OF THE COLA

LAST YEAR AND IN LIEU OF THE

COLA THIS YEAR.

AND THAT WAS AN AGREEMENTS, IS

MY UNDERSTANDING, BETWEEN

VARIOUS PARTIES, INCLUDING THE

LEGISLATURE, LAST YEAR THAT AS

LONG AS THOSE TARGETED -- THAT

THOSE TARGETED SALARY INCREASES

WOULD BE THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR

AND NOT THE COLA.

>> I SEE.

THERE IS AN ADVANTAGE OF HAVING

IT RUN THROUGH AS A COLA IN

TERMS OF THE LONG-TERM STABILITY

OF THEIR SALARY LEVELS.

SHIFTING GEARS, WE'VE ALREADY

DISCUSSED THE SUICIDE PREVENTION

COMMITMENT REGARDING

PARTICULARLY VETERANS, LAW

ENFORCEMENT, AND HOUR FIRST

RESPONDERS.

ON A POSITIVE SIDE, THERE'S AN

ADDITIONAL

$1 MILLION IN THE GOVERNOR'S

PROPOSAL TO HELP ALONG THAT

LINE.

CAN YOU COMMENT ON WHEN THIS

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL BE

ALLOCATED.

AND CONSIDERING THE GREAT NEED

THAT'S OUT THERE, WE READ ABOUT

IT PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY, IT'S

IMPORTANT THAT THIS FUNDING BE

DISBURSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AND I WOULD ALSO, AS YOU LOOK TO

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE FUNDS,

I WOULD URGE YOU TO LOOK TOWARD

REGIONAL BALANCE OF THE FUNDING

DISTRIBUTION BECAUSE WE HAVE

MANY, MANY NEEDS IN THE UPSTATE

REGION.

IN MANY WAYS IT'S EVEN MORE

SERIOUS BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCES

INVOLVED.

AND SO IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON

WHEN THESE FUNDS WILL BE

AVAILABLE AND ALSO ON THE

REGIONAL ALLOCATION.

>> WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MOVE

THESE FUNDS AS QUICKLY AS

POSSIBLE.

IT'S NOT AS SO MUCH, I DON'T

THINK, THE AVAILABILITY OF THE

FUNDS AS THE THE PLANNING TO

HOUSE TO USE THEM.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO AC TAKE

A LITTLE TIME, A COUPLE OF

MONTHS WORKING WITH LAW

ENFORCEMENT AND WE'LL BE WORKING

WITH OUR STATE TROOPERS ACROSS

THE STATE.

WE'RE GUNPOINT WORKING WITH

VETERANS AS WELL.

THIS IS VETERANS AND FIRST

RESPONDERS AND WITH VARIOUS EMS

TEAMS ACROSS THE STATE TO WHERE

IS IT MOST NEEDED.

MANY, FOR EXAMPLE, STATE

TROOPERS ALREADY DO SOME WORK IN

THIS AREA BUT WHERE ARE THE

GAPS.

WHERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE

NEED TO ENHANCE.

AND WHAT SHOULD A MEDIA CHANE

CAMPAIGN LOOK LIKE.

WHEN AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT

DECREASING STIGMA, IT'S OFTEN

VERY LOCAL, JUST AS YOU SAID.

THE SAME APPROACH TO WORKING

WITH THE COMMUNITY IN RURAL

UPSTATE NEW YORK FOR MIDDLE NEW

YORK VERSUS LONG ISLAND LONG

ISLAND.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE TIME FOR

PLANNING.

I DON'T YOU THIS IT'S THE

ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS AS MUCH

AS THE PLAN SUFFICIENTLY

IN-DEPTH AND WITH THE RIGHT

PEOPLE TO ADVICE US AS TO HOW TO

DO IT, AND THAT WILL TAKE A FEW

MONTHS TO DO.

HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE HAVING BY

THE SUMMER THAT WILL BE ABLE TO

BEGIN TO BE LAUNCHED.

>> THANK YOU.

JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION.

I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE

JOSEPH P. DWYER VETERAN

PEER-TO-PEER PROGRAM, OMH STAFF

HAS BEEN INVALUABLE IN PLANNING

AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE

PROGRAMS, AND THIS HAS BEEN A

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT AND

PRIORITY OF THE SENATE, AND I'M

PLEASED THALASSEMIA PATIENTS

CONTINUES UNDER THE NEW MAJORITS

CONTINUES

CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE

EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PROGRAM

THAT DWYER, PEER-TO-PEER AND

ALSO CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE

OF THIS PROGRAM, WHY ISN'T THERE

ANY FUNDING IN THE BUDGET

PROPOSAL TO CONTINUE THIS.

>> THE DWYER FUNDING HAS BEEN IN

A LEGISLATIVE ADD AND IT IS IN

THIS PROGRAM AS WELL.

AS A PROGRAM IT'S BEEN SHOWN TO

BE VERY EFFECTIVELY.

IT'S A PEER PROGRAM AS YOU WELL

KNOW WHERE VETS TALK ABOUT VETS

AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN

SHOWN ACROSS THE BOARD TO BE ONE

OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO

REACH VETERANS AND OTHERS IN LAW

ENFORCEMENT, ET CETERA.

IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM WEBSITES A

SOLID PROGRAM BUT IT HAS

TRADITIONALLY BEEN FUND BIDE

LEGISLATIVE ADDS.

>> THANK YOU.

ASSEMBLY.

>> WE GO TO ASSEMBLYWOMAN WALSH.

>> THANK YOU.

GARVIN GOOD AFTERNOON,

COMMISSIONER.

I'VE BEEN AN ATTORNEY FOR 30

YEARS, AND A GOOD PART OF THAT

HAS BEEN WORKING IN FAMILY

COURT.

FOR A WHILE I PROSECUTED ABUSE

AND NEGLECT CASES.

AND A GREAT, GREAT NUMBER OF

CASES IN MY CASELOAD INVOLVED

SEXUAL OFFENDERS, SEX OFFENDERS.

SO I WANTED SEXUAL ABUSE.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE

SEX OFFENDERS PROGRAM.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOUR

PROPOSED SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT

ACTS ARE GOING TO BE CARRIED

OUT.

>> THE SEX OFFENDER, THE SAMTA

PROGRAMS ARE FOR THOSE

INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN

LEAVING PRISON WHO HAVE BEEN

CIVILLY COMMITTED NOW TO THE

SAMTA PROGRAM.

THE AVERAGE STAY IN THAT PROGRAM

IS SOMETHING LIKE FIVE YEARS SO

MOST OF THEM ARE VERY SERIOUS

HIGH LEVEL SEX OFFENDERS.

WHEN THE LEGISLATION WAS FIRST

PADS PASSED IT WAS DUNNED THE

AUSPICES OF HOSPITAL BASED

APPROACH AND THE SCIENCE OF

WORKING WITH THIS POPULATION AS

WELL AS OUR EXPERIENCE OVER THE

PAST YEARS HAS BEEN THAT

BASICALLY YOU WANT MORE OF A

PSYCHOSOCIAL REHAB APPROACH

WHICH HELPS PEOPLE CHANGE

HOPEFULLY THEIR BEHAVIORS, WHICH

HAVE LED TO THE SEX OFFENDERS

STAT US.

SO WE REALLY ARE REDEFINING

PROGRAM ACTUALLY WHAT'S GOING TO

BE HAPPEN HAPPENING IS THE ON TO

DID THEY'LL YOU HAVE TO MIGHT

HAVE TO HIRE MORE PSYCHOLOGISTS,

HIRE OTHERS WHO ARE SKILLED IT'S

A CERTAIN LEVEL OF TREATING THAT

PARTICULAR POPULATION.

AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT BY

REDESIGNING IT, WE CAN EVEN BE

MORE SUCCESSFUL.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE -- SOME

INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO

LEAVE, VERY SLOWLY, VERY

CAREFULLY, BACK INTO THE

COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL

THAT WORKING WITH THIS NEW MODEL

WILL BE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE.

CURRENTLY THERE'S ABOUT 385

INDIVIDUALS IN CIVIL COMMITMENT.

>> AND WILL THESE REFORMS

INVOLVE THE MOVEMENT OF PATIENTS

FROM ONE FACILITY TO ANOTHER?

OR WILL IT WILL PATIENTS BE

SEGREGATED IN THEIR CURRENTLY

SENILITY.

>>

>> THEY WILL STAY EXACTLY WHERE

THEY ARE, THE SAME DRIE OF

SECURITY OF.

IT'S REALLY JUST THE CLINICAL

PROGRAM THAT'S SHIFTING, NOT THE

LOCATION OR THE LEGAL STATUS.

IT'S THE SAME.

>> AND AS I I SAID BEFORE, MY

EXPERIENCE TOLD ME THAT SEX

OFFENDER TREATMENT IS SOME OF

THE MOST DIFFICULT TREATMENT

THAT'S OUT THERE.

IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO

BREAK THAT CYCLE.

SO ARE PATIENTS GOING TO BE

GETTING ANY NEW TREATMENT THAT

THEY'RE CURRENTLY NOT GETTING?

>> IT WILL BE MORE FOCUSED ON

WHAT WE CALL A PSYCHOSOCIAL

REHAB APPROACH.

MORE GROUPS.

MORE ABILITY TO WORK REALLY ON

THE LEARNED BEHAVIORS WHICH

THEY'RE TRYING TO UNLEARN AND

MORE FOCUSED ON COGNITIVE KINDS

OF WORK.

YES, IT WILL WILL BE AN

ENHANCEMENTS OF WHAT THEY'RE

CURRENTLY RECEIVING.

WE WILL ABLE TO MOVE TIE CERTAIN

LEVEL OF SPERY TEES WITH SPER ET

WILL BE IN THAT PROGRAM.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK THAT NEW

APPROACH IS GOING TO BE TO TAKE

EFFECT?

>> THEY LEGISLATION HAS PASSED

RIGHT AWAY AND IT WILL TAKE A

WHILE TO DO THE TRAINING BUT I

WILL GIVE IT SIX MONTHS TO NINE

MONTHS, THE CHANGES, AND WE'LL

ELEMENT IS.

AS YOU HAVE SAID, THIS IS A VERY

THORNY ISSUE AND WE ARE TRYING

TO REALLY PROVIDE THE BEST

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR

INDIVIDUALS IN SEX OFFENDER

PROGRAM BUT IT IS A VERY

DIFFICULT GROUP TO TREAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SENATOR LOUIE PLAYOFF.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.

COMMISSIONER, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT

KNOW, TISSUE OF SUICIDE IS VERY

PERSONAL TO ME.

WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD, MY

MOTHER COMMITTED SUICIDE.

SHE SUFFERED FROM MENTAL HEALTH

AND UNFORTUNATELY BACK THEN 40,

45 YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE

SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

BUT HER MANIFESTATION START WHES

A FILED.

HER MANIFESTATION OF STARTED

WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD.

ACCORDING TO MENTAL HEALTH

ADVOCATES 5 FER% OF CHILDREN

WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR BEHAVIORAL

CONDITIONS THAT NEED TREATMENT

IN THE LAST YEAR DID NOT RECEIVE

TREATMENT.

ADDITIONALLY, SUICIDE IS THE

SECOND LEADING DAUS OF DEATH IN

TEENAGERS BETWEEN 15 AND 19.

IN LATINAS IT'S THE SECOND MOST

AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOYS OF

THE SAME AMOUNT.

40s% OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY

ALSO HAS CONSIDERED SUICIDE OR

ENGAGED IN SUICIDE IDEATION.

IN 2011 THE ORIGINAL MEDICAID

REDESIGN TEAM FOUND THAT

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS

NEEDS MORE RESOURCES AND

CAPACITY AND SHOULD NOT BE CUT.

NINE YEARS LATER THE CHILDREN'S

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MRT SUB

COMMITTEE IS STUL WORKING TO I

AM WHY PLEMENT REFORM THAT WILL

EXPAND CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH

ADDICTION AND CHILDREN'S CARE

COORDINATION SERVICES.

MY FIRST WELL IS SHOULD THERE BE

A MORATORIUM ON CHILDREN'S

HEALTH.

QUDS DUTIES WHILE THE TRANSITION

TO MEDICAID MANAGER CARE IS

GOING ON.

>> THERE ARE NO PROJECTED, AT

THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT

REDUCTION IN THE RATE THAT WAS

THERE FOR START-UP.

EXPLAINED THAT.

HAS BEEN REDUCED.

BUT THE OVERALL PLAN, WHICH

INCLUDES THOSE SERVICES BEING

EXPANDED TO SERVE EVEN MORE

YOUTH GOING FORWARD IS STILL IN

PLACE, AND IF COMMITMENT TO

CONTINUE THAT EXPANSION OF

SERVICES, WHICH AT VARIOUS

POINTS HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE

AN ADDITIONAL $30 MILLION TO

$60 MILLION OVER THE NEXT CUCH

YEARS AS THESE SERVICES EXPANDS.

THE THE NEWS SERVICES ARE VERY

COMMUNITY BASED, HOME BASED

SERVICES, AND THEY INCLUDE

THINGS LIKE PSYCHIATRIC HOME

BASED SERVICES, OTHER LICENSE

DOLLARS PROVIDERS BEING ABLE TO

GO INTO THE HOME.

ALL THESE SERVICES ARE NOW BEING

STARTED UP AND ARE GROWING.

AS THEY GROW, THEY ARE EXPECTED

TO INCREASE THE SERVICES FOR

YOUTH, ESPECIALLY YOUTH AT

HIGH-RISK THAT NEED INTENSIVE

SERVICES.

SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME THE

GROWTH OF THAT PROGRAM, WHICH

ISWHAT THE WAY IT WAS PLANNED

THROUGH THE MRT AND THE WAY ALL

THOSE SERVICES WERE PROVIDED, IS

CONTINUED IN THE INVESTMENT, AND

THAT IS STILL IN PLACE.

>> SO THERE VANT BEN ANY CUTS.

>> NO, THERE HAS BEN A CUT.

, THERE HAS BEEN A PLANNED

REDUCTION THAT WAS ALWAYS THERE

FOR THE START-UP THERE'S THAT

WERE SUPPOSED TO ANNAL LAST A

YEAR.

SO THOSE DOLLARS, YES, HAVE BEEN

REDUCED AND STOPPED AS OF

JANUARY 1st, BUT THE OVERALL

PROGRAM IS STILL EMBED INTO THE

MEDICAID DOLLAR.

>> I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE

AND IMPLORE YOU NOT TO CUT AT

ANY LEVEL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO

START AT THE -- WHEN THEY START

MANIFESTING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

AT A YOUNG AGE AND WE DON'T

TREAT IT, ANY CUT TO ME I THINK

IS UNACCEPTABLE.

AND THEN WILL THE WORK OF THE

CHILDREN'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MRT

SUBCOMMITTEE BE ADDRESSED BY MRT

2 OR WILL MRT 2 BE ASKED TO

LEVER DEFER TO THE ONGOING WORK

OF THE CHILDREN'S SUBCOMMITTEE

WITHOUT ANY SORT OF INFERENCE?

>> BASICALLY PLANS ARE STILL

BEING DISCUSSED SO I CAN'T

ANSWER THAT AT THIS TIME.

>> THEY'RE SKILL BEING

DISCUSSED.

>> YES.

>> WHEN DO YOU THINK --

>> I'M NOTE SURE.

WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS

WHEN VARIOUS OTHER THINGS ARE

DECIDED ABOUT THE MRT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON

THAT.

>> YES.

>> SO NOW MY NEXT QUESTION IS

REALLY BASED AS THE CHAIR OF

CORRECTIONS.

IN THE PAST BUDGETS YOU HAVE

PROPOSED GETTING RID OF 50

MENTAL HEALTH BEDS DEVOTED TO

JAIL BASED COMPETENCY

LEGISLATION AND THE LEGISLATURE

HAS OUTWARDS REJECTED IT.

ARE YOU AGAIN PROPOSING TO CLOSE

50 BEDS?

>> WE'RE PROPOSING JAIL BASED

RESTORATION, WHICH WOULD

BASICALLY ENABLE A COUNTY TO

DECIDE TO DO THE RESTORATION TO

COMPETENCY, THE ABILITY TO STAND

TRIAL.

IN A JAIL VERSUS HAVING TO

TRANSFER THAT PERSON BY STATUTE

TO A HOSPITAL.

BASICALLY SAYING BASED ON

MEDICAL NECESSITY, YOU CAN DO

OUTPATIENT RESTORATION FOR

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN THE IN

THE PRISON OR JAIL SYSTEM, SO

OUTPATIENT RESTORATION IS

SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.

WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT

THAT OUTPATIENT RESTORATION BE

DONE IN AN APPROPRIATE PROGRAM,

WHICH WOULD BE STAFFED

APPROPRIATELY FOLLOWED ON THE

BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER STATES.

SO THE JAIL BASED RESTORATION,

WHAT IT IS BASICALLY DOES, IS IT

ENABLES INDIVIDUALS HOB CLOSER

TO HOME AND TO GET THE SERVICES

THEY NEED IN ITS JAIL WITHOUT

HAVING TO BE TRANSPORTED FOR

COMPETENCY TO A HOSPITAL IF

THAT'S NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY

THAT THEY GO A HOSPITAL.

>> I'VE SEEN SOME EXAMPLES OF

THAT IN SOME OF THE FACILITIES,

AND I'M COMPLETELY DISSATISFIED

WITH WHAT I HAVE SEEN.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE SERVICES

PROVIDE PROVIDED ARE ADEQUATE IN

CORRECTIONS.

>> JUST TO SAY, THERE IS NO

OTHER JAIL BASED RESTORATION AT

THIS POINT, THOUGH.

THIS WOULD BE A DISTINCTIVE

PROGRAM.

>> RIGHT, BUT IN FACILITIES

WHERE THEY ACTUALLY PROVIDE OR

ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES, I THINK IT'S BEEN A

COMPLETE DISPARKS EYE SPOKEN

WITH PROVIDERS.

THERE'S NO ENOUGH MONEY.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SERVICES.

THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE

SHOULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT.

>> GLAD TO.

>> THANK YOU.

ASSEMBLY WE GO TO ASSEMBLYMAN RA

FOR A QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT -- I

KNOW THERE IS AN INCREASE OF

$12.5 MILLION FOR NEW ADULT HOME

BEDS, BEDS AND SERVICES IN THE

EIGHT LOCALITIES BUDGET

PROPOSAL.

WAS IS THERE ANY INFORMATION ON

WHERE THOSE MIGHT BE LOCATED IN

THE STATE?

>> THE ADULT HOME BEDS ARE

CONNECTED TO AN ADULT HOME

SETTLEMENT WHICH BY AND LARGE IS

NEW YORK CITY.

SO THEY'RE TARGETED TO A LEGAL

SETTLEMENT GEOGRAPHICALLY, SO

THOSE PARTICULAR ADULT HOME BEDS

ARE LOCKED IN AND THEY'RE

PRIMARILY IN NEW YORK CITY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO WE GO BACK TO THE SENATE

NOW.

>> THANK YOU.

SENATOR BARRELLA.

>> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER

SULLIVAN, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

NICE TO MEET IN YOU PERSON AFTER

TALKING ON PHONE SEVERAL TIMES.

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THANK

YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR

INVOLVEMENT AND YOUR TEAM'S

INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CRITICAL

ISSUE WE'RE HAVING IN MY

CONTRADICT DISTRICT WITH

LAKESHORE HOSPITAL.

IT LEADS TO MY QUESTION,

PARTICULARLY ON MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS.

WE ARE NOW FACING A SHORTAGE OF

BEDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, YET

THE CLOSURE OF LAKESHORE

HOSPITAL IS GOING TO SEE THE

DECOMMISSIONING OF 20 CRITICALLY

NEEDED BEDS IN THAT REGION.

ON TOP OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES

WE FACE, MY QUESTION IS IS THAT

IT APPEARS TO ME, AS I A FORMER

COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND A PERSON

WHO LIVES IN THAT IMMEDIATE

AREA, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OMH

WERE NOT IN COORDINATION ON

THIS.

THE LEFT HAND OF STATE

GOVERNMENT DIDN'T YOU DOESN'T

KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HANDS OF

STATE GOVERNMENT IS DOING.

AND WE HAVE A CRISIS IN OUR

RURAL COMMUNITIES WHEN IT COMES

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND YET

WE ARE CLOSING BEDS

UNNECESSARILY AND DOH IS BEING

MYOPIC IN THEIR VIEW OF THE

SERVICES, THE HOLISTIC VIEW

THAT'S REQUIRED OF THE SERVICES

THAT NEED TO BE REALLY

CRITICALLY NEEDED IN OUR AREA.

SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW CAN

WE JUSTIFY ALLOWING BEDS TO BE

DESERTED AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO

PRESERVE THOSE AND ENSURE THAT

IN THE LONG RUN, THAT DOH AND

OMH ARE COORDINATING EVERY THEIR

EFFORTS TO PROVIDE VITAL HEALTH

CARE SERVICES ON OUR REGIONS,

ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREAS.

>> THANK YOU.

WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH DOH ON

THESE ISSUES AND ON THE

COMPLEMENT OF BEDS THAT ARE

NEEDED NOR A PARTICULAR AREA AND

BOTH ON THE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE

AND OBVIOUSLY DOH'S DERN

CONCERNED ON THE MEDICAL SIDE AS

WELL.

I THINK THAT IT'S JUST AN

HISTORIC FACT THAT PSYCHOBEDS,

MENTAL HEALTH BEDS DO NOT HAVE

THE FINANCIAL MARGIN BY AND

LARGE THAT OTHER MEDICAL BEDS

HAVE.

SO SOMETIMES HOSPITALS DECIDE

THAT FOR FINANCIAL REASONS THEY

NEED TO LOWER PSYC BEDS.

THAT'S ALWAYS A SHEARS ISSUE BUS

WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY AS WE

MIGHT NEED AND WE NEED TO WORK

VERY CLOSELY WITH THOSE

HOSPITALS TO ENSURE THERE'S

ENOUGH IN THE AREA.

AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN.

AND WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE WHERE

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GROW OTHER

KINDS OF SERVICES.

SOMETIMES HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN

VERY HELPFUL EVEN IF THEY CLOSE

BEDS IN ESTABLISHING MORE

OUTPATIENT BLATTER SERVICES.

SO WE ALLEYS WORK WITH

COMMUNITIES TO TRY TO MAKE THIS

HAPPEN

SOMETIMES HOSPITALS MOVEICAL

QUICKLY ON THIS, QUICKER THAN WE

WANT THEM TO BEFORE PLANS ARE

AVAILABLE AND THEN WE

SOMETIMES RESORT TO ERECTOR

RESPONSES TO THAT.

BUT THE REALITY -- REGULATORY

RESPONDERS TO THAT BUT THE FACT

IS WE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED VERY

HARD ACROSS THE STATE TO TRY

PROVIDE THE THE SERVICES THAT

COMMUNITIES NEED.

>> LET ME COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE

WORK YOU HAVE DONE TO HELP, BUT

UNFORTUNATELY THE COORDINATION

WITH DOH WASN'T GOOD.

YOU WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY TO

HELP US OVERCOME THIS SITUATION

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT

APPEARED DOH WAS SINGULARLY

MINDED IN DENYING THOSE SERVICES

TO THE AREA.

AND THEY GAVE THEIR APPROVAL

WITHOUT DOH'S APPROVAL WHICH IS

I THINK UNFORGIVABLE IN THAT

SENSE.

THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER

COORDINATION, ESPECIALLY THE

FACT THAT WE HAVE A CRISIS IN

OUR HEALTH CARE IN OUR RURAL

SPEAKERS IT SEEMED DOH MOVED

FORWARDS WITHOUT OMH'S CLAP RACE

AND APPROVAL CLEARLY.

AND HAVING THAT HAPPEN AGAIN,

THIS TIME IT'S THE HOSPITAL IN

MY AREA.

NEXT TIME IT'S GOING TO BE

SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOSPITAL.

AND IT SEEMS TO BE, YOU KNOW,

NOT -- IT'S FOCUSED ON DOLLARS

AND CENTS AND NOT OAT NEEDS OF

THE PEOPLE.

AND THAT IS A REAL ISSUE.

SOME.

>> ASSEMBLY.

>> WE GO TO ASSEMBLYWOMAN

GUNTHER.

>> SO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

[NOT AUDIBLE]

>> MIC.

>> THE EXECUTIVE HAS PROPOSED

REMOVING PREADMISSION

CERTIFICATION COMMITTEES TO

DETERMINE A CHILD'S NEED FOR

RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.

WHAT WILL THE ROLE BE OF A NEWLY

TREATED ADVISORY BOARD WITHIN

THE COUNCIL OF CHILDREN AND

FAMILIES?

>> I THINK THAT THE NEW ADVISORY

BOARD WILL HELP US NOT JUST WITH

ADMISSION CRITERIA AND CENSUS,

ET CETERA, THEY'LL HELP US WITH

THE DESIGN I BELIEVE OF THE RTS

SYSTEM.

THE COUNCIL ON CHILDREN'S AND

FAMILIES IS A VERY ACTIVE

COUNCIL AND I THINK THEY CAN

TALK WITH US ABOUT THE NEEDS OF

COMMUNITIES AND ITS KINDS OF

DESIGN THAT WE NEED IN THESE

FACILITIES COMBINING THE PAC

ADMISSION PROCESS IT ALSO GIVES

US THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO SOME

CREATIVE WORK WITH THE RTNs

ACROSS IS THE STATE, AND IN

PARTICULAR MANY OF THE UPSTATES

RTFs ARE PARTICULARLY HAPPY

WITH THIS CHANGE BECAUSE IT

GIVES MORE FLEXIBILITY IN BOTH

ADMISSIONS, THE KINDS OF

ADMISSIONS AND THE KINDS OF

SERVICES THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.

SO WE THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD

MOVE, AND MANY OF THE UPSTATE

GROUPS SUCH AS NORTHERN RIVERS

ARE VERY INVOLVED AND ARE VERY

HAPPY THAT WE HAVE MOD NIDE THE

PAC ADMISSION PROCESS.

>> CAN YOU GIVE ME EXAMPLES OF

WHAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR WOULD LEAD

TO THE SURER BEING FINED -- THE

INSURER BEING FINED?

ALSO REGARDING CHILDREN'S

BEHAVIORAL RATES, YOU SAY THAT

YOU HAVE STARTUPS BUT WHEN DO

THEY ACTUALLY BEGIN?

>> EXCUSE ME.

OOH ON AN INDIVIDUAL BEING

FINED, IS THAT RELATIVE TO

PARITY?

>> YES.

>> THERE WILL BE REGULATIONS

THAT WILL BE POSTED AS OF

OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR WHICH WILL

CLEARLY OUTLINE IN GREAT DETAIL

THE VARIOUS KINDS OF THINGS THAT

INSURERS MUST RESPOND TO AND

THAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO

FINES.

SO THAT COMPLIANCE PROGRAM IS IN

THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND IT'S

STATED THAT BASICALLY AS OF

OCTOBER WE'LL HAVE THOSE

REGULATIONS OUT WHICH WILL MAKE

IT EVEN CLEARER WHAT CAN LEAD TO

WHAT KIND OF REPERCUSSIONS IF

YOU'RE NOT APOLOGY FOLLOWING THE

PARITY REGULATIONS.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE HAVE

ALREADY RECEIVED ALL THE MEDICAL

NECESSITY CRITERIA FROM THE

VARIOUS MEDICAL INSURANCE AND

HOW THE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM WILL

BE SET UP TO ENSURE THEY'RE

DOING IT.

IT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED BY

OCTOBER.

THEN WE WILL SEE AS A RESULT OF

THOSELATION WHAT IS THE FINDS

WILL BE CONNECTED TO THAT.

>> I THINK THERE WAS ABOUT

$1.5 MILLION.

>> NO, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.

IT WAS AN ESTIMATES THALASSEMIA

PATIENTS MIGHT BE THE LEVEL.

>> WHERE WOULD IT GO THEN.

>> IT.

>> WOULD GO TO THE OMBUDSMAN

PROGRAM, THE CHAMP OMBUDSMAN

PROGRAM WHICH WOULD USE THAT

MONEY TO FURTHER THE INTERESTS

OF PATRIOT, FAMILIES DEALING

WITH DENIALS, ET CETERA, IF IT

OCCURS.

>> THE OTHER TING IS LIKE THE

RATES FOR HOUSING.

SO THE NEW STOCK, THEY GET AN

INCREASED RATE WHERE OLD STOCK

THEY DON'T GET THE SAME AMOUNT

OF MONEY FOR THEIR RENTALS FOR

PEOPLE.

ON OMH.

>> THE $20 MILLION IS GOING

TOWARDS OLDER HOUSING WHICH IS

ALREADY THERE, ALL TYPES OF

HOUSING.

IN THE PAST WE HAVE TROPICAL

SPECIFIC HOUSING.

NOW IT'S ANYONE KIND OF HOUSING

CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT

$20 MILLION, AND IT WILL ALSO BE

SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>> SENATE.

>> THANK YOU.

SENATOR ASH ASHQAR.

>> MADAME CHAIR WITH ONLY THANK

YOU.

COMMISSIONER WITH, ALWAYS GOOD

TO SEE YOU.

LET ME GO SPECIFICALLY TO THE

GREATER BINGHAMTON HEALTH

CENTER.

HAPPENING ABOUT A REDUCTION IN

BEDS BE, EITHER ADULT BEDS OR

CHILDREN BEDS?

>> NO.

>> GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

THANK YOU.

LET ME MOVE, IF I MAY, TO MENTAL

HEALTH SERVICES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL

SYSTEM.

WHATIN TYPE MONEY WE SITUATION

STATE TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE?

IT'S AN ISSUE AT LEAST FROM MY

PERSPECTIVE THAT IS AT CRISIS

LEVELS.

ANY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT YOU

SPEAK TO WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY

ARE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH

CRISES ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO WHAT IS WITH YOU OUR

INVESTMENT TO DEAL WITH THAT

STATEWIDE?

>> ONE OF THE MAJOR INITIATIVES

IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF

SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH

CLINICS WHICH WE'VE BEEN

SUCCESSFUL IN DOING.

WHAT YOU DO IS WORK WITH A

COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDER WHO

THEN WORKS WITH THE SCHOOL TO

SET UP A SATELLITE IN THAT

SCHOOL, ON-SITE, USUALLY IT'S A

SOCIAL WORKER BUT SOME OF THESE

ARE ALSO USING TELEPSYCHIATRY TO

BEAM IN PSYCHIATRISTS TO WORK IN

THE SCHOOL AND THEY CAN PROVIDE

THE SERVICES ON-SITE.

THAT HAS WORKED IN 800 SCHOOLS

SO FAR AND WE'RE WORKING ALL THE

SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INCREASE

THAT.

IN ADDITION, THE WORK WHICH IS

BY THE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION

ACT AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE

SCHOOLS HAS SET UP AN ENTIRE A

BRITTLE TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELLNESS FROM

EARLY ON IN THE SCHOOLS FROM

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12th

GRADE, SO ALL THE WORK ON

CURRICULA, ET CETERA, IS

SOMETHING WHICH IS ALSO JOINTLY

DONE BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM,

DEPARTMENT OF ED AND ALSO BY

MENTAL HEALTH.

IN ADDITION, WE DO LOTS OF

CRISIS TRAININGS IN SCHOOL, LOTS

OF SUICIDE PREVENTION IN

SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE A WHOLE SUICIDE

PREVENTION PLAN GUIDELINES WHICH

WE JUST PRINTED AS OF ABOUT A

MONTH AGO.

WE'RE DISTRIBUTING TO ALL THESE

SCHOOLS AS TO HOW TO SET UP A

TIERED APPROACH TO WORKING WITH

POSSIBLE SUICIDE ISSUES IN THEIR

SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR

ALL KINDS OF TECHNICAL CINCHES

WITH THEM.

WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME PILOTS OF

SOME VERY INTENSIVE WORK IN

SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SOMETHING

CALLED PARENT CORE WHICH WORKS

WITH THE PRE-K POPULATION AND

DOES PARENT TEACHING FOR

SCHOOLS.

IT'S LIMITED BUT IT'S SOMETHING

THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TO SEE IF

IT MIGHT POSSIBLY GROW.

AND WE ALSO HAVE ACROSS THE

STATE IN SOME SCHOOLS FIVE

DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, MOST OF

THEM UPSTATE, CALLED PROBLEM

ZONES WHERE THERE'S AN

INVESTMENT IN DOLLARS THAT COME

TO THE SCHOOLS TO COME TOGETHER

WITH COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS,

SO THAT SCHOOLS NOT ONLY HAVE

CLINICS ON-SITE BUT THEY ALSO

UNDERSTAND ALL THE COMMUNITY

BASED SERVICES THAT ARE

AVAILABLE AND WORK IN

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF

INITIATIVES GOING ON ACROSS THE

STATE.

BUT THE MAINSTAY IS TRYING TO

GET MORE AND MORE SATELLITE

CLINICS INTO SCHOOLS BECAUSE

THEY NOT ONLY DO THEY SEE

INDIVIDUAL KIDS, THEY WORK WITH

THE TEACHERS, THEY HELP EDUCATE

THE TEACHERS, THEY HELPY WORK

TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS SO

THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST

EFFECTIVE WAYS TO HELP THE

SCHOOLS.

>> QUANTIFY THOUGH IN DOLLARS

WHAT WE'RE ACCEPTING IN THE

PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO ADDRESS

THE ISSUE.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD GIVE

YOU THE EXACT DOLLARS.

I WOULD CORK ON THAT TO SEE HOW

THESE THINGS HAD UP BUT I DON'T

HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD

EXACTLY WHAT THAT WOULD BE BUT

I'LL GET BADGE TO YOU, SENATOR.

>> HET ME ASK YOU A MORE DIRECT

QUESTION.

DO YOU THINK THE INVESTMENT THAT

WE'RE MAKING IN THE PUBLIC

SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SIGNIFICANT

ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING

ISSUE?

>> I THINK IN SOME WAYS YOU CAN

ALWAYS DO MORE.

I THINK THIS IS A VERY, VERY

STRONG BEGINNING.

I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT ON-SITE

WORK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT

THAT CAN BE DONE WITH TRAININGS

AND EDUCATION, BUT ON-SITE

AVAILABILITY IS THINK ONE OF THE

MOST KEY THINGS.

MANY YEARS AGO I HAD A SCHOOL

BASED PROGRAM WHEN I WORKED IN

QUEENS AND IT WAS MARVELOUS, THE

DIFFERENCE IS IT MADE IN A VERY

TROUBLED JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

I THINK THAT ON-SITE CAPACITY IS

REALLY QUICKLY CRITICAL AND

WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF OUR

ENERGIES INTO GETTING THAT

AVAILABLE SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN

A SCHOOL AND YOU HAVE A YOUTH

THAT YOU MIGHT BE CONCERNED

ABOUT, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY YOU CAN

CONSULT, GO TO THEM, GET SOME

FEEDBACK, HELP THEM GET THE

SERVICES.

WE'RE DOING THAT.

WE'RE DOING ALL THE OTHER

THINGS, TOO, BUT I THINK THAT'S

A CRITICAL PIECE.

>> SO I JUST WANTS TO THANK YOU

PUBLICALLY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT

YOU ARE DOING IN THE INITIATIVES

THAT YOU SPEAK ABOUT.

BUT WE'RE FALLING SHORT AS A

STATE.

THIS IS NOT A KNOCK ON YOU OR

ANYBODY WHO WORKING IN YOUR

OFFICE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN MY

HEART THAT YOU'RE DOING THE VERY

BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT RESOURCES

YOU GET.

BUT FOR ME THIS COMES DOWN TO

WANTS VERSUS NEEDS.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE JOSEPH P.

DWYER PROGRAM, THE INVESTMENT

$3.7 MILLION, IT'S A REMARKABLE

PROGRAM, BUT THAT'S A PAUL ENTRY

INVESTMENT.

LAST YEAR THERE WAS A $1 MILLION

GRANT PROVIDED FOR SCHOOLS TO

COMPETE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER TO

DEGREES SOME OF THEIR MENTAL

HEALTH ISSUES.

NOBODY KNOWS THE SCOPE AND DID

DIFFICULTIES OF PROVIDING THESE

SERVICES BETTER THAN YOU AND THE

PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE ARE REALLY

AT A CROSSROADS IN THIS STATE.

AND WHEN I SEE THE EXECUTIVE

MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT WE WOULD

INVEST $300 MILLION IN ITS

RESTORATION OF THE ERIE CANAL

BUT YET ONLY INVEST $3.7 MILLION

IN A PROGRAM LIKE JOSEPH P.

DWYER OR HAVE TO FIGHT OVER

DOLLARS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES IN SCHOOLS, AGAIN, I

THINK WE'RE FALLING SHORT AND WE

NEED TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB.

MADAME CHAIRWOMAN, HIT THE FOR

THE TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

ASSEMBLY.

WE'VE BEEN INDIANA WY

ASSEMBLYWOMAN BUTTONSCHON,

ASSEMBLYMAN WEPRIN AND EL GO TO

ASSEMBLYWOMAN MILLER FOR A

QUESTION.

>> HI AGAIN.

FOR THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

OMBUDSMAN, WHERE IS THE FUNDING

COMING FROM FOR THAT?

IS IT COMING FROM THE PENALTIES

THAT ARE DEPOSITED TO THE FUND?

AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, I'M JUST

JUMPING THE GUN, IF THAT IS THE

CASE, DOES THE OMBUDSMAN START

OR DOES IT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE

PROGRAM TO GET FUNDED FROM THAT?

>> IT WAS ACTUALLY STARTED LAST

YEAR.

THERE WAS AN ALLOCATION IN

BUDGET LAST YEAR FOR

$1.5 MILLION FOR THE OMBUDSMAN

PROGRAM.

THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN ABOUT

1600 CLIENTS, AND I THINK HAVE

DONE 5,000 EDUCATIONAL, SO

THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK.

IF FINERS LEVIED, THAT'S AN

ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT WOULD

THEN GO IN ADDITION ON TOP OF

THE BASE FUNDING WHICH IS

$1.5 MILLION.

THANK YOU.

>> SENATE.

>> SENATOR SUE SERINO.

>> HELL, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

THIS IS ALWAYS A VERY SENSITIVE

SUBJECT TO ME.

I LOST BY BROTHER BY SUICIDE TEN

YEARS AGO AND I'VE BEEN OPEN

ABOUT IT CHEQUING TEST HIS

OBITUARY AND TRYING TO GET RID

OF THAT STIGMA.

I KNOW IN 2018 WE HAD PASSED A

BILL THAT WAS NOT PASSED, I'M

SORRY, WE INTRODUCED A BILL THAT

WOULD ESTABLISH THE MENTAL

HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM

COORDINATOR THAT WOULD REIMBURSE

THE SCHOOLS FOR HIRING THESE

PROFESSIONALS, AND I KNOW

SENATOR ASHQAR HAD SPOKEN ABOUT

THAT AND YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE

TYPE OF A PILOT OR A PROGRAM.

BUT I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT I'M

HEARING FROM KIDS, AND IT

DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S IN A

WEALTHY SCHOOL DISTRICT, POOR

SCHOOL DISTRICT, MIL CLASS,

THEY'RE ALL SAYING THEY'RE NOT

GETTING ENOUGH HELP.

AND I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE

BEDS FOR OUR CHILDREN TOO.

NOBODY WANTS TO GO INTO A

LOCKDOWN EMERGENCY SERVICES

FACILITY AND THEN IT'S KIND OF

SCARY, ESPECIALLY FOR A KID, AND

THEN THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO

GO BACK THERE AGAIN.

SO I JUST WONDER WHERE THOSE 800

SCHOOLS ARE BECAUSE I'M NOT

SEEING IN IT MY DISTRICT.

>> THEY'RE SPREAD ACROSS THE

STATE.

THERE ARE MORE OF THEM UPSTATE,

ACTUALLY, THAN DOWNSTATE, BUT I

CAN GET YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY

MIGHT BE IN STATEN ISLAND.

I'M NOT SURE OFF THE TOP OF MY

HEAD WHICH ONES BUT THERE ARE

SEVERAL -- NOT SEVERAL -- THERE

ARE A NUMBER IN THE CITY, 25 TO

30 PERCENT IN THE CITY AND THE

REST ARE UPSTATE.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE

DEPARTMENT OF ED, TRYING TO WORK

WITH THE DEPARTMENT ED IN THE

CITY TO TRY TO FOSTER MORE

ABILITY TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH

CLINICS IN THE SCHOOLS.

BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET TO YOU

ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> IN YOUR DISTRICT.

>> I'D LIKE HEARING ABOUT THE

TELEPSYCHIATRY TOO.

THAY IT'S GREAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN

YOU LIVE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY.

BUT AS FAR AS SENIORS WE HAVE

BEEN A LOT OF SENIORS THAT

SUFFER FROM SOCIAL ISOLATION,

AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT

YOU'RE DOING WITH THE

TELEPSYCHIATRY FOR OUR AGING

SENIORS?

I'M THE RANKER ON THE AGING

COMMITTEE.

I'M JUST JOINING THE MENTAL

HEALTH COMMITTEE NOW.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE

ARE ANY SERVICES FOR SENIORS AS

WELL.

>> THERE'S A HEALTH.

ASSOCIATION UPSTATE NEW YORK

THAT HAS DONE A LITTLE BIT OF A

PILOT WITH THE ELDERLY IN TERMS

OF A TELEGROUP DEALING WITH THE

ISSUE OF SOCIAL ISOLATION WHERE

PEOPLE CAN GET TOGETHER AND TALK

VIE THEIR ACCOMMODATION TABLETS

AND COMMUTERS WITH A GREAT DEAL

OF SUCCESS, SO WE'RE ALONG INTO

THAT WITH THE ELDERLY.

SOCIAL ASSOCIATION OF A HUGE

ISSUE BY AND LARGE AND WE

PROBABLY ARE NOT USING

TECHNOLOGY THE WAY WE SHOULD BE.

SO TELEMEDICINE IS SOMETHING WE

HAVE EX THAT PANDAD THE ABILITY

TO DO AND BILL FOR.

WE HAVE TO GET CREATIVE ABOUT

HOW WE USE IT.

I THINK ONE OF THE CREATIVE WAYS

CAN BE KIND OF GROUP THERAPY

WHICH NOW COULD BE REIMBURSED BY

MEDICAID.

WE'RE WORKING SOMETIMES WITH THE

COMMERCIAL INSURERS.

BUT YOU COULD DO THAT FOR

ELDERLY GROOS ACROSS HAD A

GROUP.

WE'RE DEFINITELY EXPANDING THAT

AND I THINK THAT IS A BIG PIECE

OF THE FUTURE P.

IT'S ALSO A WAY TO INCREASE

ACCESS AND DEAL WITH THE

WORKFORCE LIMITATIONS SO THERE'S

A GREAT DEAL THAT CAN BE DONE

WITH THAT.

>> THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING.

I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE

SENTIMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES

HAVE MENTIONED ABOUT THE DWYER,

THE PEER-TO-PEER PROGRAM.

WE JUST RIVETED MY FIRST GREETER

SENATE AND IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL

WORKING THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH

AMERICA, THROUGH THE COUNTY.

IT'S JUST GREAT.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE ANY

ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT'S PUT IN

THE BUDGET FOR MENTAL HEALTH

LIKE NOT ROBBING FROM PETER TO

PAY PAUL.

IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU'RE GUYS

HAVE TO COME UP HERE EVERY

SINGLE YEAR AND KIND OF -- THEY

SH ELL HELP UP HERE AND BEG FOR

THAT MONEY FROM THE FOR THE

DWYER PROGRAM.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOU, BUT IT IS

WE KEEP FIGHTING FOR IT, AND I

DON'T WANT TO SEE THE EXTRA

MONEY, THE $1 MILLION THAT IS

GOING TO HELP OUR LAW

ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS,

EVERYBODY FOR METHYL BE TAKEN

ONE FOR THE OTHER.

I THINK IT'S ALL VITALLY

IMPORTANT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ASSEMBLY.

>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS,

BUT BEFORE THAT I JUST WANTED TO

SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY

ASSEMBLYWOMAN CAR MEN DE LA ROSA

AND.

AND I WANTED TO SWITCH TO A

QUESTION ABOUT JAILED

RESTORATION.

SO THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET INCLUDES

$1.7 MILLION IN NET SAVINGS

RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF

SPECIALIZED BEDS IN LOCAL JAILS

TO RESTORE FELONY LEVEL

DEFENDANTS TO COMPETENCY.

AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT

COMMENT OR IF YOU KNOW THE

FISCAL IMPACT ON JAIL BASED,

THAT THIS JAIL BASED RESTORATION

WOULD HAVE ON COUNTIES SINCE

THEY NOW WOULD BE REQUIRED TO

PAY THE 100% OF THE COST

BEGINNING ON APRIL 1.

ARE THE COUNTIES BOTH

FINANCIALLY ABLE TO TAKE ON THAT

RESPONSIBILITY AND DO WE HAVE

ANY CONCERN ABOUT HOW NOW THAT

THE COUNTIES WOULD BE DOING

THIS, HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE

QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED

WITHIN THE LOCAL JAILS?

>> THE COUNTIES ARE CURRENTLY

PAYING 50% OF THE COST OF JAIL

BASED -- OF HOSPITAL BASED

RESTORATION WHICH IS ABOUT

$130,000 A YEAR, SO IT'S QUITE

HIGH BECAUSE IT'S HOSPITAL BASED

CARE AND TREATMENT.

WHEN IT GOES TO 100%, THAT WOULD

BE $130,000 PER PRETTY MUCH THE

COST PER RESTORATION TO

COMPETENCY.

JAIL BASED RESTORATION IS ABOUT

A THIRD THAT OF COST.

SO JAIL BASED RESTORATION WOULD

BE PROBABLY A COST TO COUNTIES

OF ABOUT $35,000 TO $40,000 PER

JAIL BASED RESTORATION.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE INCENTIVES

PERHAPS TO DO JAIL BASED

RESTORATION.

THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT

INDIVIDUALS ARE GETTING HOSPITAL

BASED CARE FOR RESTORATION WHEN

THEY REALLY KIND OF ONLY NEED

OUTPATIENT LEVEL CARE, AND SO

THE COUNTIES ARE PAYING A VERY

HIGH COST EVEN NOW, AND IT WILL

GET HIGHER WITH THE 100% COST.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE.

SENATE.

>> THANK YOU.

SECOND TIME DAVID CARLUCCI.

>> YOU, CHAIR.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR

YOUR TIME TODAY.

I'LL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS

POSSIBLE.

I JUST HAD A FEW MORE POINTS

WANTED TO GO THROUGH WITH YOU.

FIRST THE STREAMLINING

PREADMISSION PROCESS FOR

RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT

FACILITIES, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE

GOING FROM A 30-DAY THE WAY IT

TO 15 DAYS, WHICH LOOKS GOOD ON

PAPER.

I JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU HOW

WE SAFEGUARD THIS PROCESS.

AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY

WORKING TO THE EXTEND WHAT WE

HAVE HERE ON PAPER.

>> WE'RE GOING TO BE MONITORING

IT VERY CLOSELY.

THE INDIVIDUALS WHO -- THERE

WILL STILL BE A REVIEW BY A

PHYSICIAN WHO WILL BE DESIGNATED

BY ME TO KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT

THOSE ADMISSIONS AND MAKE SURE,

BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REDUCE

THE TIME DRASTICALLY BECAUSE

PRIOR THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF

COMMITTEE STEPS WESTBOUND TO

HAVE A GROUP MEET WHICH ONLY MET

ONCE A MONTH.

IT WILL BE TIMELY MEETING.

IT WILL NOT BE A ONCE A MONTH.

YOU CAN GET A REVIEW IN A DAY OR

TWO SO WE CAN GET THE

INFORMATION BACK.

IT SHOULD STREAM 39 PROCESS BUT

WE'RE GOING TO BE MONITORING IT

CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE.

THE I THINK IT WILL BE LESS THAN

TWO WEEKS BUT WE'RE TARGETING TO

BE SURE TWO WEEKS.

>> I HOPE STOW.

BACK TO THE JAILED RESTORATION

PAGE KNOW LAST YEAR AS THE

GOVERNOR GRRR EVER GOVERNOR HAD

PUT THIS IN THE EXECUTIVE

BUDGET, THE DIFFERENCE IS THE

SAME PROPOSAL AS THIS YEAR BUT

THE GOVERNOR WAS OFFERING MONEY

TO THE LOCALITIES THAT OPTED

INTO THIS PROGRAM.

I'M CONCERNED FOR A FEW REASONS.

FIRST, THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN A

$1.7 MILLION SAVINGS IN THE

BUDGET, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE

GOVERNOR IS ANTICIPATING THAT

MUNICIPALITIES WILL JOIN ONTO

THIS PROGRAM.

THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT --

AND I'LL LETTY YOU ANSWER.

MY CONCERN IS THAT

MUNICIPALITIES WILL NOT OPT INTO

THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE'S NO

DOLLARS COMING FORTH TO MAKE THE

UPGRADES NECESSARY TO MEET THESE

NEEDS.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE JAILED

RESTORATION PROGRAM AND HOW YOU

SEE IT MAKING THOSE SAVINGS.

AND HAVE ANY MUNICIPALITIES

EXPRESSED INTEREST?

ARE ANY MUNICIPALITIES RADLE TO

GO WITH NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING?

READY TO GO.

>>

>> THERE ARE SOME WHO EXPRESSED

INTEREST.

NO ONE SAID THAT THEY ARE READY

TO START.

PARTLY THE ONE MUNICIPALITY THAT

HAD BEEN IN THE PAST, WANTED TO

JUST WAIT AND THINK ABOUT IT

AGAIN BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE

CHANGES.

BUT JAIL-BASED RESTORATION WOULD

BASICALLY DECREASE THE COST TO

THE COUNTIES OF WHAT THEY WERE

PAYING NOW AND WILL PAY IN THE

FUTURE, TO HAVE INPATIENT

HOSPITAL RESTORATION.

YES, THERE WOULD BE SOME

START-UP THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED IN